Databases

CS 284 (CSA), Spring 2005

A database management system (DBMS) is a system of computer software and hardware that provides efficient and flexible access to structured collections of information. Although many designs are possible for a DBMS, most contemporary systems organize data into relations, i.e., tables of information; a group of related tables forms a database of information. A query is a request to a DBMS for specific information from a database. Most prominent DBMSs use a variant of a language called SQL (Standard Query Language) for creating tables, modifying them, and performing queries.

• Introduction to databases
• Features of Relational Databases
• Introduction to SQL
• Database design
• DBMS design