Schema

What Does Schema Mean?

A schema is the structure behind data organization. It is a visual representation of how different table relationships enable the schema’s underlying mission business rules for which the database is created.

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Techopedia Explains Schema

In a schema diagram, all database tables are designated with unique columns and special features, e.g., primary/foreign keys or not null, etc. Formats and symbols for expression are universally understood, eliminating the possibility of confusion. The table relationships also are expressed via a parent table’s primary key lines when joined with the child table’s corresponding foreign keys.

Schema diagrams have an important function because they force database developers to transpose ideas to paper. This provides an overview of the entire database, while facilitating future database administrator work.

Oracle Database (DB) refers to schema as a user collection of database objects. The schema and user names are the same but function quite distinctly; i.e., a user may be deleted or reassigned to another user while its collection of objects (schema) within the database remains intact.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…