Database Reference
In-Depth Information
1
In this chapter, you learn about databases and SQL, prerequisites to learning
MariaDB.
The fact that you are reading this topic indicates that you, somehow, need to
interact with databases. And so before diving into MariaDB and its implemen-
tation of the SQL language, it is important that you understand some basic
concepts about databases and database technologies.
Whether you are aware of it or not, you use databases all the time. Each time
you select a name from your e-mail address book, you are using a database.
If you conduct a search on an Internet search site, you are using a database.
When you log in to your network at work, you are validating your name and
password against a database. Even when you use your ATM card at a cash
machine, you are using databases for PIN verification and balance checking.
But even though we all use databases all the time, there remains much confu-
sion over what exactly a database is. This is especially true because different
people use the same database terms to mean different things. Therefore, a good
place to start our study is with a list and explanation of the most important
database terms.
Tip
Reviewing Basic Concepts What follows is a brief overview of some basic database
concepts. It is intended to either jolt your memory if you already have some database
experience, or to provide you with the absolute basics, if you are new to databases.
Understanding databases is an important part of mastering MariaDB, and you might
want to find a good topic on database fundamentals to brush up on the subject if
needed.
