Intro to Database Systems Week 1

1. Relational database tables and spreadsheets look similar with both having rows and columns. What are some important differences between the two?

    One important difference is that databases make use of schemas to determine how data is stored in a database table. With such a schema, relationships are able to be formed between data, keys are able to be set on data enabling easy retrieval, and much more. Spreadsheets do not operate in this fashion. Spreadsheets offer the ability to filter and analyze data while not enforcing a schema.


2. Installing and configuration a database and learning how to use it is more complicated that just reading and writing data to a file. What are some important reasons that makes a database a useful investment of time?

    A database is a useful investment of time as it allows billions of data entries to be stored and retrieved efficiently. Additionally, a database supports usage by thousands of users at once, keeps data secure, and maintains standards for data storage.


3. What do you want to learn in this course that you think will be useful in your future career?

    As a full-stack developer, I've already implemented an RDBMS into my system architecture. With this course I'd like to learn how I could more efficiently manage my databases and make better queries within my software.

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