Use of database objects in modern relational databases

In large-scale offshore software development processes, it is seldom required to design the database dynamically so that any extension of the database does not affect the existing data model. To do so, most of the modern databases use database objects to store or reference data.

Database objects serve all basic operations like data addition, deletion, searching and retrieval processes in database. Database objects can be searched for either by primary key or by a combination of field-values (related by foreign keys). In software product development involving databases, the relationship between various Database Objects are often described using a Schema.

The most common database objects are:

Tables
The table is main storage object in a database. A table is a collection of rows and columns where each intersecting point (known as a cell) holds record and each row (also known as tuple) holds a complete set of records. Every row or tuple is further classified using a Primary Key (a field value that uniquely describes a set of records). Also, a table can be related to another by using suitable foreign keys.

Clusters
Clusters are physical locations where data is stored for a database. A cluster contains data from one or more tables with one or more common columns. All modern relational databases used in application software and development processes create a collection all the rows from all the tables which share the same cluster key.

Views
A View is a database object that provides a subset of filtered, sorted and grouped data retrieved from the database in a predefined way.

Indexes
The Index database object is used to speed up the data retrieval process in a database. Indexes are created by one or combining two or more columns in a table that help in both random and ordered access of records.