databases.softwareshinobi.com/landing/docs/SQL-101/index.md

TABLES

A database, often referred to as a schema in a relational context, is an organized collection of structured data. It's the persistence layer for your application, essential for storing and managing information that outlasts application processes.

Think of it as a reliable system ensuring data validity and enforcing relationships without requiring excessive application-level checks.

Tables and Columns

The fundamental unit of a database is the table. Tables organize data into rows and columns, similar in concept to a spreadsheet but with enforced structure and data types.

Each column within a table holds a specific type of data (e.g., text, numbers, dates), defining the structure for every entry.

Consider a simple task management application. Key information would reside in distinct tables:

• Users: Stores user-specific data. Columns might include username, name, and active status.
• Tasks: Contains task details. Relevant columns could be task_name, status, due_date, and priority.

The Users table structure illustrates this:

id	username	name	active
1	shinobi	Software Shinobi	true
2	grisi	Greisi I.	true
3	javateamsix	Java Team Six	false

Table Structure Summary

• The table is defined by four columns: id, username, name, and active.
• Each row represents a distinct record, with three entries (users) shown here.
• The id column serves as the unique identifier for each record, typically configured for automatic incrementing.