Explain what a flat-file database is and what a relational database is. Tell which one you would rather use and why.
Explain what a flat-file database is and what a relational database is. Tell which one you would rather use and why.
Database System Concepts
7th Edition
ISBN:9780078022159
Author:Abraham Silberschatz Professor, Henry F. Korth, S. Sudarshan
Publisher:Abraham Silberschatz Professor, Henry F. Korth, S. Sudarshan
Chapter1: Introduction
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1PE
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Explain what a flat-file
Expert Solution
Step 1
Flat-File Database
The term "Flat File" refers to databases that can be single-record or multi-record in nature and can be delimited or defined with fixed-length parameters. A regular text file that has just one record definition is the most basic type of flat file.
- The record, or "row" (as it is popularly known), is repeated one to many times, with each succeeding row serving as an example of a standard definition.
- Each row in the file is composed of a horizontal list of fields, and each row's definition is applicable to all of the rows in the file.
- Multiple record definitions are used in more complicated flat file formats, where some records have similar columns to others while some rows have different layouts and contents.
- Comma-Separated Value files are one of the examples of flat-file databases.
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