1. What is a database?
A database is one or more large structured sets of persistent data, usually associated with software (database management system) to update and query the data. A simple database might be a single file containing many records, each of which contains the same set of fields where each field is a certain fixed width - From FOLDOC
A database is a collection of data elements (facts) stored in a computer in a systematic way, such that a computer program can consult it to answer questions. The answers to those questions become information that can be used to make decisions that may not be made with the data elements alone. The computer program used to manage and query a database is known as a database management system (DBMS).
A database is an organized collection of data used for the purpose of modeling some type of organization or organizational process. It really doesn't matter whether you're using paper or a computer software program to collect and store the data. As long as you're gathering data in some organized manner for a specific purpose, you've got a database. Database management systems range from the extremely simple to the highly complex.
Differences among DBMSes include whether they are capable of ensuring the integrity of the data; whether they may be used by many users at once; and what sorts of conclusions they can be programmed to compute from a set of data.
2. Applications of databases
Databases are used in many applications, spanning virtually the entire range of computer software. Databases are the preferred method of storage for large multiuser applications, where coordination between many users is needed. Even individual users find them convenient, and many electronic mail programs and personal organizers are based on standard database technology. Software database drivers are available for most database platforms so that application software can use