What is database abstraction. Explain its levels.
Database Management System
Computer Science Engineering
518
Vedhika
Database abstraction refers to the process of hiding the complexities and details of a specific database management system (DBMS) and providing a simplified interface for interacting with databases. It allows applications to interact with databases without being tightly coupled to a particular DBMS, which enhances flexibility, portability, and maintainability.
Database abstraction is typically achieved through the use of database abstraction layers or frameworks, which provide a consistent and standardized set of functions and methods for performing common database operations. These layers abstract the underlying database implementation details and provide a common interface for interacting with different types of databases.
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There are generally three levels of database abstraction:
Physical Level Abstraction:
At this level, the focus is on the physical storage and access mechanisms of the database. It deals with the low-level details such as file structures, indexing, and data storage formats. The physical level abstraction shields the application from directly dealing with these implementation-specific details, allowing it to work with the database using a higher-level interface.
Logical Level Abstraction:
The logical level abstraction focuses on the logical structure of the database and its organization. It defines the concepts of tables, columns, relationships, constraints, and other entities that make up the database schema. This level provides a conceptual model that abstracts away the underlying physical implementation, allowing applications to interact with the database in a more intuitive and logical manner.
View Level Abstraction:
The view level abstraction represents the highest level of abstraction in the database abstraction hierarchy. It deals with the presentation of data to the users or applications. At this level, users are provided with customized views or subsets of the data that are relevant to their needs. The view level abstraction allows applications to retrieve and manipulate data using a high-level query language, such as SQL, without having to be aware of the underlying schema or implementation details.
By employing these levels of abstraction, applications can be developed and maintained independently of the specific database technology being used. This flexibility allows for easier migration between different database systems, as well as improved code modularity and reusability.
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