Databases without the jargon
What a database is for, tables vs spreadsheets, and when you need one — written for people who are just getting started.
Syllabus
Online course
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What you will learn
What databases are for, how tables relate to everyday spreadsheets, and when a spreadsheet stops being enough.
The job of a database
Store structured information so many users and programs can read and update it safely — customers, orders, inventory, tickets. Spreadsheets are great until several people edit at once or the app needs reliable lookups.
Tables, rows, columns
Think of a table like a sheet: columns are fields (name, email, status), rows are records. A database usually has many tables that link together (an order row points at a customer row).
When you outgrow a sheet
- More than one person needs to edit at the same time
- You need history, permissions or audit trails
- An application has to query the data every second
What to learn next
Learn a little SQL for reading data (SELECT), then how an API sits in front of a database so apps never talk to it directly.