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2. Advantages of a flat-file database

Before we go on to discuss the more complex relational database concept. Let's consider a simple flat file system.

Advantages:

  • All records are stored in one place
  • Easy to understand
  • Simple sorting and filtering can be carried out
  • Can use a standard spreadsheet to store it
  • Alternatively, you can use a single table in a DBMS to store it

An example of a simple flat file database is shown below

ID Title First name Surname Address City Postcode Telephone
1 Mr Tom Smith 42 Mill Street London WE13GW 010344044
2 Mrs Sandra Jones 10 Low Lane Hull HU237HJ 022344033
3 Mr John Jones 10 Low Lane Hull HU237HJ 022344033

The flat file database consists of columns to describe the fields and rows to hold each record

 

Challenge see if you can find out one extra fact on this topic that we haven't already told you

Click on this link: Flat file database and spreadsheets