Relational Database Management System Notes
Subject Overview
Relational Database Management System covers database fundamentals and the relational model, the full SQL language (DDL/
Subject at a glance
4
Units
37
Topics
4
Credits
4
Infographics
Unit-wise Syllabus
4 units — open any unit for detailed topic-wise notes, diagrams and important exam questions
- Purpose and applications of database systems
- DBMS fundamentals (data view, database languages, design, storage and querying, transaction management, architecture)
- RDBMS fundamentals — structure of relational databases
- schema
- keys
- relational query languages and operations
Super key
Any set of attributes that identifies a row
Candidate key
Minimal super key
Primary key
Chosen candidate key
Alternate key
Candidate keys not chosen
Foreign key
Refers to a primary key in another table
Study guide
This unit covers the purpose of database systems, DBMS fundamentals (data view, languages, design, storage, querying, transactions, architecture) and RDBMS fundamentals: relational structure, schema, keys, query languages and operations. Understand why relational databases dominate.
- DCL/DDL/DML
- SQL data definition
- basic query structure
- set operations
- null values
- aggregate functions
- nested subqueries
- database modification
- join expressions
- views
- transactions
- integrity constraints
- SQL data types and schemas
- authorization
- functions/procedures/triggers
- introduction to embedded SQL
- dynamic SQL
- JDBC and SQLJ
DDL
Define structure
CREATE, ALTER, DROP, TRUNCATE
DML
Change data
INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE
DQL
Query
SELECT
DCL
Permissions
GRANT, REVOKE
TCL
Transactions
COMMIT, ROLLBACK, SAVEPOINT
Study guide
You study SQL in depth: DCL, DDL, DML, queries, set operations, null values, aggregates, nested subqueries, modification, joins, views, transactions, constraints, data types, authorisation, functions, procedures, triggers, embedded and dynamic SQL, JDBC and SQLJ. Write queries daily.
- The Entity-Relationship model and ER diagrams
- features of good relational design
- atomic domains and 1NF
- functional dependency and 2NF
- transitive dependency and 3NF
- BCNF
- multivalued dependency and 4NF
- join dependency and 5NF
- domain-key normal form
- 1
1NF
Atomic values
- 2
2NF
1NF + no partial dependency
- 3
3NF
2NF + no transitive dependency
- 4
BCNF
Every determinant is a candidate key
- 5
4NF
No multivalued dependency
- 6
5NF
No join dependency
Study guide
You study ER modelling, good relational design, atomic domains and 1NF, 2NF, 3NF, BCNF, 4NF, 5NF and domain-key normal form. Practise normalising a table step by step.
- Query processing
- concurrency control
- database security
- database recovery
Atomicity
All or nothing
Consistency
Rules always hold
Isolation
Concurrent transactions don't interfere
Durability
Committed data survives crashes
Study guide
You study query processing, concurrency control, database security and recovery. Understand how locks prevent conflicts.
Why Relational Database Management System Matters
Database skills are among the most requested in the IT job market, supporting roles in development, data engineering, analytics and administration.
How to Prepare for Relational Database Management System
- Practise SQL queries on real data sets.
- Learn normalisation with worked examples.
- Understand transactions and concurrency with the ACID properties.
Relational Database Management System: Frequently Asked Questions
What is normalisation?
Normalisation organises data into related tables following normal forms to reduce redundancy and anomalies.