SQL- DBMS vs RDBMS


The difference between DBMS (Database Management System) and RDBMS (Relational Database Management System) lies in their approach to storing, managing, and organizing data. Here’s a detailed comparison:

Difference between the DBMS vs RDBMS

Aspect DBMS RDBMS
Definition A software system for storing and managing data in a database. A type of DBMS that organizes data into related tables (using relationships).
Data Structure Stores data in files without enforcing relationships. Stores data in tabular form (rows and columns) with relationships between tables.
Normalization May not support normalization of data. Fully supports normalization to reduce redundancy.
Relationships No or limited support for relationships between data. Implements relationships using primary and foreign keys.
Query Language May use custom APIs or basic query support. Uses Structured Query Language (SQL) for querying and managing data.
Data Integrity Limited or no data integrity constraints. Enforces data integrity through constraints like primary keys, foreign keys, and unique keys.
Scalability Suitable for small-scale systems or single-user applications. Designed for large-scale systems with multiple concurrent users.
Transactions May not support ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) properties. Fully supports ACID properties for reliable transactions.
Examples File systems, XML databases, and some hierarchical DBs. MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, and SQLite.
Usage Best for simple applications with minimal data interdependencies. Ideal for complex systems where data relationships and constraints are crucial.

Here are examples of DBMS and RDBMS systems:

DBMS Examples

  1. Hierarchical Databases:

    • IBM Information Management System (IMS)
    • Windows Registry
  2. Network Databases:

    • Integrated Data Store (IDS)
    • Raima Database Manager (RDM)
  3. NoSQL Databases (some also fall under non-relational DBMS):

    • MongoDB (Document-oriented)
    • Cassandra (Column-oriented)
    • Redis (Key-Value store)
  4. File Systems:

    • Traditional file storage like CSV, XML, JSON, or text files.

RDBMS Examples

  1. Commercial RDBMS:

    • Oracle Database
    • Microsoft SQL Server
    • IBM Db2
  2. Open-Source RDBMS:

    • MySQL
    • PostgreSQL
    • MariaDB
  3. Lightweight RDBMS:

    • SQLite (used in mobile and embedded systems)

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