Table
ELI5 — The Vibe Check
A database table is exactly like a spreadsheet tab. It has columns across the top (name, email, age) and rows going down (one per person). Everything in your relational database lives in tables.
Real Talk
A table is the fundamental storage structure in a relational database. It consists of columns (defining the data structure and types) and rows (individual data records). Tables enforce constraints like primary keys, foreign keys, and data types to maintain data integrity.
Show Me The Code
CREATE TABLE products (
id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
name VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
price DECIMAL(10,2),
stock INT DEFAULT 0
);
When You'll Hear This
"Create a users table with email and password columns." / "How many rows are in the orders table?"
Related Terms
Column
A column is a category of data in a table. If a table is a spreadsheet, columns are the headers: 'Name', 'Email', 'Age'.
Database
A database is like a super-organized filing cabinet for your app's data.
Primary Key
A primary key is the unique ID that every row in a table must have. Like a social security number for your data — no two rows can have the same one.
Row
A row is one single record in a table. If your users table has 500 users, it has 500 rows.
Schema
A database schema is the blueprint of your database — which tables exist, what columns they have, what types they are, and how they relate to each other.