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Appendix B: Glossary of DBMS Terms

This glossary provides definitions for common terms used in database management systems.

  • ACID: Acronym for Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability; properties that guarantee reliable processing of database transactions.

  • Backup: A copy of data from a database that can be used to reconstruct data in case of data loss.

  • Cardinality: The number of unique values in a database column relative to the number of rows in the table.

  • Compound Key: A key that consists of multiple columns in a table.

  • Data Definition Language (DDL): A subset of SQL used to define and modify the structure of database objects.

  • Data Manipulation Language (DML): A subset of SQL used to insert, update, delete, and retrieve data from a database.

  • Denormalization: The process of adding redundant data to one or more tables to improve read performance.

  • Entity-Relationship (ER) Diagram: A graphical representation of entities and their relationships in a database.

  • Foreign Key: A column or group of columns in a table that provides a link between data in two tables.

  • Index: A data structure that improves the speed of data retrieval operations on a database table.

  • JDBC (Java Database Connectivity): An API for connecting and executing queries with a database using Java.

  • Normalization: The process of organizing data to reduce redundancy and improve data integrity.

  • ODBC (Open Database Connectivity): A standard API for accessing database management systems.

  • Primary Key: A column or group of columns in a table that uniquely identifies each row.

  • Query Optimization: The process of selecting the most efficient way to execute a database query.

  • RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks): A storage technology that combines multiple disk drive components into a logical unit for data redundancy and performance improvement.

  • Referential Integrity: A property of data stating that all its references are valid.

  • Schema: The structure of a database system, described in a formal language supported by the database management system.

  • Stored Procedure: A prepared SQL code that you can save, so the code can be reused over and over again.

  • Transaction: A sequence of database operations that are treated as a single unit of work.

  • View: A virtual table based on the result-set of an SQL statement.

This glossary covers many important DBMS terms, but it is not exhaustive. As you continue your journey in database management, you'll encounter more specialized terms specific to certain database systems or use cases.