from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
relational data model
relational model
<database> (Or "relational model") A {data model} introduced
by {E.F. Codd} in 1970, particularly well suited for business
data management. In this model, data are organised in
{tables}. The set of names of the columns is called the
"schema" of the table.
Here is an example table with the schema (account number,
amount) and 3 lines.
account number amount
-------------- ---------
12343243546456 +30000.00
23149875245824 +2345.33
18479827492874 -123.25
The data can be manipulated using a {relational algebra}.
{SQL} is a standard language for talking to a database built
on the relational model (a "{relational database}").
["A relational model for large shared data banks"
Communications of ACM 13:6, pp 377-387].
(1998-10-05)