Data in the Database

There are many ways to interact with a database in today's world. Three ways I interact with a database on a daily basis are, online banking, contact search on my mobile, and customer service. When I login online into my bank account, I can retrieve database records on deposits, withdrawals, bill payments, and other transactions from my account. When entering a name in my mobile, the database will output the number that corresponds with the name being inputted. When visiting a customer service rep online, such as a utility company or a health insurance homepage, you are able to access information about your own records of services provided.

The data in the database is stored and controlled by software called, the Database Management System (DBMS). This is organized by a table consisting of columns (fields) and rows (records) where each column contains a specific characteristic and each row features a certain value for the corresponding attribute.

The development of databases has advanced from the 1960s, as they were only used in large or small organizations. In today's modern world, the widespread use of the internet and the growth of e-commerce have made databases more accessible to the public. It has led to the creation of the semi-structured data model and the use of XML as a standard for data exchange.