Databases 101
Let's answer a whole bunch of database-related questions and then we can get started making apps that use SQLite.
What is a database?
A database is both a place of storage and a means to retrieve, store, and manipulate data. It helps to be able to visualize a database before learning how to use it. The actual structure of the internals of a database varies greatly depending upon the database in question. SQLite actually stores all its data in a single file.
It aids our comprehension greatly, however, if we visualize our data as if it were in a spreadsheet, or sometimes multiple spreadsheets. Our database, like a spreadsheet, will be divided into multiple columns, which represent different types of data, and rows, which represent entries of the database.
Think about a database with names and exam scores. Take a look at this visual representation of such data and imagine what it would look like in a database:
Figure 27.1 –...