intro
Let’s explore the main types of DBMS, focusing on their key aspects and identifying which databases fall under each category.
If you have ever worked with databases, you are likely familiar with the concept of the DBMS. In a database, a DBMS (Database Management System) is the backbone of data storage and management. But have you ever wondered what the main types of DBMS are? Time to find out!
What Is a DBMS?
A DBMS, short for Database Management System, is software that enables storing, retrieving, managing, and manipulating data in a database. It provides an interface for interacting with underlying databases while supporting key characteristics such as data integrity, security, and consistency.
Different Types of DBMS Explained
This is a list of criteria used for classifying different types of DBMS:
Types of DBMS: Complete List
Now we will explore a list of DBMS categorized by type and examined based on the criteria presented earlier. The types of DBMS analyzed here will be as follows:
Let’s discover them all!
Relational Database Management System (RDBMS)
An RDBMS organizes data into structured tables that follow predefined schemas. Relational database management systems use SQL to access, manage, and manipulate data.
Also, they generally follow the ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) principles to guarantee strong consistency, making them ideal for any transaction-based application.
Object-Oriented Database Management System (OODBMS)
An OODBMS integrates database data storage with aspects typical of object-oriented programming (OOP) principles. In particular, it stores data as objects rather than tables and supports inheritance, polymorphism, and encapsulation.
This makes it ideal for applications that require complex data models with relationships following OOP principles.
NoSQL Database Management System (NOSQL DBMS)
A NoSQL DBMS is designed to handle large volumes of unstructured, semi-structured, or even structured data while ensuring high flexibility and performance. Unlike RDBMS, a NoSQL database management system does not rely on fixed schemas and generally follows the BASE (Basically Available, Soft-state, Eventual consistency) model for data consistency.
In this context, “NoSQL” stands for “Not Only SQL,” which means that these databases are not limited to traditional SQL-based relational models.
NoSQL databases are categorized based on how they store data in:
Hierarchical Database Management System (Hierarchical DBMS)
A hierarchical DBMS database organizes data in a tree-like structure, where each record has a parent-child relationship.
Example of a hierarchical model
The hierarchical model is efficient for applications that require fast access to hierarchical data. That is because the data retrieval process starts at the root node and traverses down through the branches to the desired child nodes. At the same time, this rigid structure makes the DBMS less flexible for handling complex relationships.
Network Database Management System (Network DBMS)
A Network DBMS organizes data in a graph-like structure, where records are linked to each other. This allows for more complex relationships between data entities compared to the simpler hierarchical model. For example, a network DBMS supports many-to-many relationships, supporting more options for how data is interconnected.
NewSQL Database Management System (NewSQL DBMS)
A NewSQL DBMS aims to combine the scalability and high availability of NoSQL systems in online transaction processing (OLTP), with the ACID guarantees of traditional RDBMS. These databases are optimized for high-performance applications while guaranteeing data integrity.
A Database Client for 50+ Databases
As you have just learned, there are different types of DBMS in the database world. Among the seven most common categories, you will find around 50 databases that are widely used by large communities and power real-world applications.
Now, imagine being able to connect to all 50 of these databases with a single tool. That is exactly the experience DbVisualizer provides, a visual, full-featured, and powerful database client that supports over 50 databases. Not only can you connect to these databases, but the tool also offers advanced features and capabilities tailored to each one.
In short, DbVisualizer covers most types of DBMS, allowing you to work with data in various forms. Explore all 50+ supported databases!
Conclusion
In this article, you learned what a DBMS is, the main aspects to consider when categorizing them, and explored the most common types. As discussed, there are 7 different types of DBMS, with dozens of databases currently used and maintained in real-world applications. These are almost all supported by DbVisualizer, a powerful, multi-database client that offers specific features for data management across various types and formats. Download it for free today!
FAQ
What are the most popular types of databases?
Below is a summary table with the most common types of databases:
| Type | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) | Stores data in structured, row-based tables using SQL (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL). |
| Non-relational Database Management System (Non-relational DBMS) | Stores data as flexible JSON-like documents (e.g., MongoDB, CouchDB). |
| Object-based Relational Database Management System (ORDBMS) | Combines relational structure with object-oriented features (e.g., PostgreSQL with object-relational extensions). |
| Cloud Databases | Hosted on cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure for scalability and remote access. |
| Centralized Databases | Serve as a single repository for data across multiple locations, like a central library system. |
| Network-based Databases | Represents data as nodes with interconnected links, supporting complex relationships (e.g., Integrated Data Store). |
| Personal Databases | Designed for single users and often stored locally (e.g., Microsoft Access, SQLite). |
| Distributed Databases | Spread data across multiple locations or servers for redundancy and performance (e.g., Google Spanner, Apache Cassandra). |
| Hierarchical Databases | Store data in a tree-like structure, with parent-child relationships (e.g., IBM Information Management System). |
What is the most popular type of DBMS?
The most popular type of DBMS is the Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). The reason is that some of the used databases in the world are all relational either in part or as a whole, such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and Oracle Database.
What are the different types of keys in DBMS?
Different types of keys in DBMS help maintain data integrity and establish relationships between tables:
What are the types of schema in DBMS?
Different types of schemas in DBMS define how data is structured and organized:
Are there DBMS types that cover more than one category?
Yes, some database management systems combine multiple types. For example, PostgreSQL is an ORDBMS (Object-Relational Database Management System) because it supports both relational (SQL-based) and object-oriented features like table inheritance and custom data types.
