relational databases

Relational databases are like an organized filing cabinet full of information. In the filing cabinet, there are folders (called tables), and each folder is filled with pieces of paper (called records). Each piece of paper (record) can have different kinds of information, like names, addresses, dates, etc., written on it (called fields).

When we want to get the information back out, it's like we are searching through the filing cabinet for the right folder and then the right piece of paper (record) with the right kind of information on it (field).

It's important that we make sure that all of the pieces of paper (records) put into the folders (tables) are organized well, so that when we need to find something we know exactly where to look.