Relational database

A relational database is a database based on the relational model.

Strictly speaking, this means a specific collection of data. The database software that is used to manage the data is called a relational database management system, or RDBMS. (However, common usage doesn't always preserve this distinction.)

Relational databases should be stored in normal form.

See also: Database management system (DBMS)

External Link

A Relational Model of Data for Large Shared Data Banks (http://www.acm.org/classics/nov95/toc.html) by E. F. Codd

Article contains material from relational database (http://foldoc.doc.ic.ac.uk/foldoc/foldoc.cgi?query=relational+database) at FOLDOC (http://www.foldoc.org), used with permission.