What is it
A database is an organised collection of data stored so it can be easily accessed, managed and updated — typically arranged in tables of rows and columns, similar to a well-organised spreadsheet.
Why it matters
Nearly every app and website you use — social media, online shopping, school records — stores its information in a database behind the scenes. Understanding how data is organised is understanding how modern software actually works.
Exam tip
Be able to identify a primary key (the unique identifier for each row) in a sample table — this is one of the most frequently tested database concepts at this level.
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