Introduction - Database Processing: Fundamentals, Design, and Implementation - page 9

A database application is a set of one or more computer programs that serves as an
intermediary between the user and the DBMS. Application programs read or modify database
data by sending SQL statements to the DBMS. Application programs also present data to users
in the format of forms and reports. Application programs can be acquired from software ven-
dors, and they are also frequently written in house. The knowledge you gain from this text will
help you write database applications.
Users , the final component of a database system, employ a database application to keep
track of things. They use forms to read, enter, and query data, and they produce reports to
convey information.

Database applications and SQL
Figure 1-7 shows that users interact directly with database applications. Figure 1-8 lists the
basic functions of database applications.
First, an application program creates and processes forms. Figure 1-9 shows a typical form
for entering and processing student enrollment data for the Student-Class-Grade database
shown in Figures 1-3 and 1-4. Notice that this form hides the structure of the underlying tables

Figure 1-8
Basic Functions of
application Programs

Basic Functions of Application Programs

Create and process forms

Process user queries

Create and process reports

Execute application logic

Control the application itself

Figure 1-9
an Example Data
Entry Form