Chapter 21: Problem 11

What are the main differences between designing a relational database and an object database?

Short Answer

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The key differences between designing a relational database and an object database revolve around their data models, data storage, and designs. Relational databases are table-oriented with structured data, while object databases focus more on objects, inheriting properties from object-oriented programming with encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism.

Step by step solution

Definition of databases

Relational databases utilize a structure that allows users to identify and access data in relation to another piece of data in the same database. They are based on the relational model, easy to use and flexible. On the other hand, object databases, also known as object-oriented databases (OODB), utilize a data model that empowers the database to store objects, which includes the object's properties and method.

Structure of databases

The key distinction in structure lies within the types of data they store. Relational databases store data in tables with predetermined schema consisting of rows and columns. Object databases, however, deal with data as an object, which can be an item, person, or any real-world entity with properties and methods.

Data Models

Relational databases use a model where data is organized into one or more tables or relations. Every row in the table represents a relationship, and each column represents an attribute of the relationship. On the other hand, object databases use a model where data is seen as a set of objects (i.e., entities), where each object carries its own data and set of operations.

Design Differences

When designing relational databases, developers focus on structured query language (SQL), normalization, and avoiding data redundancy. For object databases, the design focuses around the object model - encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism are key concepts. While relational databases are table-oriented, object databases are object-oriented.

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What are the main differences between designing a relational database and an object database?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Definition of databases

Structure of databases

Data Models

Design Differences

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