What type of database is defined by storing data in tables?

A relational database is characterized by the storage of data in structured tables, which consist of rows and columns. This organization allows for efficient data management and querying through a system of relationships between tables. Each table typically represents a distinct entity, such as customers or products, with columns representing attributes of those entities, such as customer name or product price.

Relational databases use a structured query language (SQL) for defining, manipulating, and managing the data. The ability to define relationships between tables, such as one-to-many or many-to-many, is a foundational aspect of relational databases, enabling more complex data operations and integrity through the use of keys.

In contrast, NoSQL databases are designed for unstructured data and may offer various storage models like key-value or document stores, making them less table-oriented. Flat-file databases store data in a single table or file format without the complex structure provided by relational databases. Hierarchical databases organize data in a tree-like structure, where each record has a single parent, which is fundamentally different from the table-based organization in relational databases.