Database Design for Beginners: A Guide to Relational Database Design (Second Edition)

Author: (USA) Hernández et al. / Fan Ming et al.
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: A sound database design can save a significant amount of development time and ensure functionality and reliability. This book provides a direct, platform-independent guide to relational database design and general methodologies for database development. Additionally, reading this book does not require a background in database design, as it explains how to design databases correctly. If you are just beginning to take an interest in database management, this book will be very useful to you, as it is easier to read than other books on the subject you may have encountered. Many books on database design on the market are highly technical and may be difficult to digest, whereas the design principles you will learn in this book are easy to understand and remember, and the examples provided are universally applicable. Therefore, this book can indeed serve as an introductory guide to entering the field of database specialization.
Main Features of the Book:
■ Strictly focuses on database logical design;
■ Review questions are provided for each chapter from Chapter 1 to Chapter 12, and answers to the exercises are given in Appendix A;
■ A flowchart of the design process is provided in Appendix B for quick reference;
■ All design guidelines are compiled in Appendix C;
■ Access the author's website at http://www.formeremortals.com to browse other recommended resources;
■ To contact the author, send an email to: mihernandez@msn.com
This book primarily covers the logical design of databases, discussing how to establish table structures, determine primary keys, set field descriptions, create table relationships, establish views, and implement various levels of data integrity, while avoiding poor design and addressing when to follow or break rules during the design process. The logical design of a database is the key to the entire database design process. Compared to most similar books, this book has two main features: First, the author uses fewer technical terms, explaining the design process of relational databases as clearly and comprehensively as possible without resorting to the advanced, traditional methodologies commonly found in most database design books. Second, the author strictly focuses on database logical design, adhering to separate stages for logical design and implementation to ensure an efficient database design process.
This book is suitable for undergraduate and graduate students in computer science and related fields, as well as for professionals in the database-related field for reference.