Due to the continuous development of technology, it is very difficult to present the work of large organizations without databases in the world today. Most likely, not everyone knows that there are a variety of types of databases. And they all have their own merits and demerits.
What are the hierarchical bases
They appeared first, they have been used on computers for a very long time. Ironically, despite the "antiquity" of such bases, they are still popular in some companies. They are a pyramid. All fields and records associated with each other are grouped together. In such a pyramid, records of both higher and lower levels can be applied. Each record follows a kind of subordination, the implementation of which is controlled by the database management system. This construction, which has a hierarchical database, is not so difficult to look at, it is only necessary to draw an analogy with the family tree. Its advantage is that it is very easily updated. In addition, an employee can access the hierarchical database fairly simply. The disadvantage is the fact that it is almost impossible to establish more than one connection between the "descendant" and the "parent".
Advantages of network bases
Network types of databases are very similar to those described above. The main difference is the structure, which has the appearance of a kind of web. In addition, unlike hierarchical databases, records can be attached to more than one "parent", or owner. Just like in the above-described variety, network bases are used mainly on main computers, which are called servers. Network databases are more flexible. But it is worthwhile to know that the number of connections in them has limitations.
Popularity of relational databases
Relational views of databases are the most flexible of all listed databases. All data is stored in tables, each of which has its own key field. With the help of such a key, the identification of a specific record is simplified. In addition, it is unique for the entire table. Tables are linked together by a certain key. For example, one has the key fields "Product code" and "Seller code", and the other field contains the "Seller code" and "Manufacturer code" fields. They will be linked to each other via the "Merchant Code" field. Such databases have gained popularity due to their simplicity and ease at overriding records. The disadvantage is the more time-consuming search for necessary information.
A future with object-oriented databases
Object-oriented types of databases provide the user with the ability to add new types of information fields, as well as adding audio, video and graphic files to the table structure. In comparison with previous databases, object-oriented DBMSs have a lot of advantages. In addition, their processing is much easier than in the above cases. Objects that contain such a variety of databases are built from two elements: from data and from instructions that help determine the type of data processing. Among the shortcomings, you can highlight the high cost and reluctance of many companies to purchase such databases instead of old, long-tried.
But the development of databases with the possibility of adding multimedia objects is becoming increasingly popular. Therefore, there is a certainty that in the near future most organizations will go over to object-oriented databases.