n cmptng, dtbs s n rgnzd cllctn f dt r typ f dt str bsd n th s f dtbs mngmnt systm (DBMS), th sftwr tht ntrcts wth nd srs, pplctns, nd th dtbs tslf t cptr nd nlyz th dt. Th DBMS ddtnlly ncmpsss th cr fclts prvdd t dmnstr th dtbs. Th sm ttl f th dtbs, th DBMS nd th ssctd pplctns cn b rfrrd t s dtbs systm. ftn th trm "dtbs" s ls sd lsly t rfr t ny f th DBMS, th dtbs systm r n pplctn ssctd wth th dtbs.
Smll dtbss cn b strd n fl systm, whl lrg dtbss r hstd n cmptr clstrs r cld strg. Th dsgn f dtbss spns frml tchnqs nd prctcl cnsdrtns, ncldng dt mdlng, ffcnt dt rprsnttn nd strg, qry lnggs, scrty nd prvcy f snstv dt, nd dstrbtd cmptng sss, ncldng spprtng cncrrnt ccss nd flt tlrnc.
Cmptr scntsts my clssfy dtbs mngmnt systms ccrdng t th dtbs mdls tht thy spprt. Rltnl dtbss bcm dmnnt n th 1980s. Ths mdl dt s rws nd clmns n srs f tbls, nd th vst mjrty s SQL fr wrtng nd qryng dt. n th 2000s, nn-rltnl dtbss bcm pplr, cllctvly rfrrd t s NSQL, bcs thy s dffrnt qry lnggs.