Become a Database Professional with SQL

Databases are universal–they underlie the technology we use every day. They're a crucial component of everything, from telecommunications systems, banking systems, and video games to just about any other software system that maintains some amount of persistent data.

In this module, we’ll learn about the fundamental concepts of databases, why and when they're used, what relational databases are, and entity-relationship diagrams. We will also be exposed to techniques like normalization that help to increase the efficiency of databases. We’ll wrap up with a look at the basics of SQL.

After completing this module, we will be able to move on to more advanced courses involving database systems and SQL.

Database Design Fundamentals for Software Engineers

## What is a database?

A database is a shared collection of related **data**. By **data,** we mean known facts that can be recorded and that have implicit meaning. For example, consider the names, telephone numbers, and addresses of the people you know. 

A database can be viewed as a repository of data that is defined once and then accessed by various users as shown in the figure below:

# What is a database?

A database is a shared collection of related **data**. By **data,** we mean known facts that can be recorded and that have implicit meaning. For example, consider the names, telephone numbers, and addresses of the people you know. 

A database can be viewed as a repository of data that is defined once and then accessed by various users as shown in the figure below:

In this lesson we will discuss the basics of databases and their properties.

Introduction

Fundamental Concepts

Data Modeling

Entity-Relationship Data Model

The Relational Data Model

Functional Dependencies

Normalization

Structured Query Language

Conclusion

What is a Database?

What is a database?