A3.1 Database fundamentals

This section introduces the structure and function of relational databases, a foundational technology for storing and managing structured data. Students will explore key features such as tables, relationships, primary keys, foreign keys, and composite keys, while evaluating the benefits of relational databases—including data integrity, consistency, scalability, and support for concurrent access. They will also examine the limitations of relational models, such as challenges with unstructured data, rigid schemas, and scalability in the context of big data, gaining a balanced perspective on when and how relational databases are most effectively used.