Reflecting on Databases

 Relational databases eliminate the redundancy of spreadsheets and create a system that can be easily queried to obtained higher level information from the data they contain. These queries could not be achieved as simply by spreadsheet algorithms. For the class database project we used CORGIS for our clean data. Initially we ran into issues with deciding on which data set made the most sense to use due to only needing three tables maximum. 

At first we chose SAT scores and then pivoted to Airlines. I do regret not selecting a more stream lined data set because the Airlines data set was appropriate but it came with way more attributes than we were prepared to handle. I will say I found all of the information that Dr. Dietrich provided on databases extremely helpful. For assignments and in class exercises we were using Dr. D’s Databasesformanymajors website to help us understand how databases work and how we could begin to design one. 

I had to learn to use SQLite to host/build the database. It was a bit of a challenge since we were importing the data from the CORGIS CSV file. I also had trouble exporting the sql file because SQLite encrypted the file so my partner and I were definitely struggling to get use to SQLite and build the database together from different locations. I will say when all was said and done it remained clear to me that hosting the data set in a database was the easiest and most efficient way to query the data versus spreadsheets and even a python script for the CSV file.

Learning about databases hasn’t really influenced my future plans but it does give me confidence in my ability to store and query data properly in the future. The course has cemented my feelings of preferring databases versus traditional programming. I don’t know if my new found skills will be of use any time soon but I believe it could come in handy in the next few years as I progress in my career and into graduate school. I know that if the topic of databases comes up I will know what it is and how it works and that feels good.