Relational database architecture

Tables, fields and records are the basic building blocks of databases

Table

A group of similar data with rows for records and columns for each field.

Record

A horizontal row: a collection of items which may be of different data types all relating to the individual or object that the record describes. A single entry in the table. Sometimes called row interchangeably.

Field

A vertical column: stores a single particular unit of data for each record. Each field must use the same data type. Sometimes called field interchangeably.

Each individual field has properties: such as the data type, length or the total memory allocation.