What is a database?

A database is an organised collection of information or data. Putting information into a computer database gives you far more flexibility in organising, displaying and printing that information.

Almost everyone who uses a computer will use a database system for something:

• Banks use a database package for storing customers’ accounts information
• Your school will use a database package to store information on all the pupils in the school
• Police use databases to keep information on people with criminal records

Why do we use Databases?

A computerised databases allows users to quickly search for certain piece of information using queries and it is also easier to sort a database on any field such as surname into any order (A – Z).