#Microsoft access database management software#

You may be wondering what the difference is between the last two examples (Excel vs Access). Also, programs like Excel organize the data into rows and columns, making your data easier to comprehend. That way, we could do some extra things with our list (such as format it, or sort by first name/surname etc).Ī spreadsheet program like Excel makes these tasks relatively easy to do.

#Microsoft access database management software#

SpreadsheetĪnother option would be to store it in a spreadsheet using spreadsheet software (for example, Microsoft Excel). With a small list like this, a text file may serve our purposes perfectly. Therefore, we currently have 4 records in our database. Therefore, we know that the email address next to 'Homer' is his email address. Also, the items in each row are separated by commas. We could do this because, due to the way we designed the list, we know that each row contains a different individual, and the information on that row is related to that individual. We could use this information to do things such as send an email to everyone on our list. Imagine we have a text file called 'Individual.txt', and that the contents look like this:

Or it could be as complex as a large, relational database management system, complete with in-built tools to help you maintain the data.īefore we get into dedicated database management systems, let's start with the basics - let's look at a simple text file example. That may sound overly simplistic but it pretty much sums up what any database is.Ī database could be as simple as a text file with a list of names. What is a Database?Ī database is a collection of data. My main focus initially, is to 'de-mystify' the whole concept of databases so that beginners can develop an understanding of what a database is and where it fits in the larger picture of website development. In this section of Quackit, you will find a comprehensive range of quality articles and tutorials covering various database concepts. Whether you look after a corporate website, run a forums based website, or simply run your own blog, your job would be made much harder if it weren't for databases. These days, databases are an essential part of websites and blogs all over the web.