A relational database consists of one or more relations. In relational database terminology, a flat file database is called a relation.

Date (digits with special delimiters like '/', ':' or multiple '.')Īll the records in a table must have the same field type sequence, and each record must be identifiable, normally by an identifier like a number or a text field (a name) in the beginning of the record.Floating-point number (a number with a decimal point or the letter 'e' indicating exponential notation, e.g.Integer number (starting with a digit or a sign).The most common field types (with recognition criteria) are: A field has a certain data type, which may or may not be recognizable by inspection of the data. This structure is as simple as possible for a database: There is one table - a list of database records, all with the same number of fields. 7 When the flat file structure breaks down.Relational Algebra: Records in flat file database tables meet tuple definitions under relational algebra.Data Types: Columns in the database tables are restricted to a particular data type and are not indicated, unless the data is passed on to a relational database.Columns are separated using delimiter characters. Separated Columns: Flat file databases are based on fixed-width data formatting.Database Management System: The text data represent an intermediate style of data before being loaded into the database.A few features of the data in flat file databases include: Most of the applications permit users to store and retrieve information from flat files based on a predefined set of fields.įlat files include data types common to other databases. In spite of the limitations associated with flat files, flat file databases are used internally by various computer applications to store data related to configuration. These tables serve as a solution for simple database tasks. The tables within a flat file database can be sorted based on column values. Flat file database tables can be set in various application types, including HTML documents, simple word processors or worksheets in spreadsheet applications.

Flat file database software