User Guide

Understanding Database Basics 19
Understanding Database Basics
You do not need a thorough knowledge of databases to develop a data-driven
ColdFusion application, but you need to know some basic concepts and techniques.
A database is a structure for storing information. Databases are organized in tables,
which are collections of related items. For example, a table might contain the names,
street addresses, and phone numbers of individuals. Think of a table as a grid of
columns and rows. In this case, one column contains names, a second column
contains street addresses, and the third column contains phone numbers. Each row
constitutes one data record. In this case, each row is unique because it applies to one
individual. Rows are also referred to as records. Columns are also referred to as
fields.
You can organize data in multiple tables. This type of data structure is known as a
relational database and is the type used for all but the simplest data sets.