Conceptual schema
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A conceptual schema or conceptual data model is a high-level description of informational needs underlying the design of a database.[citation needed] It typically includes only the main concepts and the main relationships among them. Typically this is a first-cut model, with insufficient detail to build an actual database. This level describes the structure of the whole database for a group of users. The conceptual model is also known as the data model that can be used to describe the conceptual schema when a database system is implemented.[citation needed] It hides the internal details of physical storage and targets the description of entities, datatypes, relationships and constraints.
Overview
A conceptual schema is a map of
Because a conceptual schema represents the semantics of an organization, and not a
The model does allow for what is called
Example relationships
- Each PERSON may be the vendor in one or more ORDERS.
- Each ORDER must be from one and only one PERSON.
- PERSON is a sub-type of PARTY. (Meaning that every instance of PERSON is also an instance of PARTY.)
- Each EMPLOYEE may have a supervisor who is also an EMPLOYEE.
Data structure diagram
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Data_Structure_Diagram.jpg/220px-Data_Structure_Diagram.jpg)
A data structure diagram (DSD) is a data model or diagram used to describe conceptual data models by providing graphical notations which document entities and their relationships, and the constraints that bind them.
See also
- Concept mapping– Diagram showing relationships among concepts
- Conceptual framework – Method of organizing information
- Conceptual graphs– formalism for knowledge representation
- Conceptual model (computer science)– A model in software engineering
- Data modeling – Creating a model of the data in a system
- Entity-relationship model– Model or diagram describing interrelated things
- Object-relationship modelling– Programming technique
- Object-role modeling– Programming technique
- Knowledge representation– Field of artificial intelligence
- Logical data model– representation of an organization's data, organized in terms of entities and relationships
- Mindmap– Diagram to visually organize information
- Ontology– Specification of a conceptualization
- Physical data model– Representation of a data design
- Semantic Web – Extension of the Web to facilitate data exchange
- Three schema approach– Approach to building information systems
References
Further reading
- Perez, Sandra K., & Anthony K. Sarris, eds. (1995) Technical Report for IRDS Conceptual Schema, Part 1: Conceptual Schema for IRDS, Part 2: Modeling Language Analysis, X3/TR-14:1995, American National Standards Institute, New York, NY.
- Halpin T, Morgan T (2008) Information Modeling and Relational Databases, 2nd edn., San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann.
External links
- A different point of view, as described by the agile community