What is Data Abstraction in DBMS?

Data Abstraction is one of the most important concepts in DBMS. Data abstraction is the process of hiding unwanted and irrelevant details from the end user. It helps to store information in such a way that the end user can access data which is necessary, the user will not be able to see what data is stored or how it is stored in a database. Data abstraction helps to keep data secure from unauthorized access and it hides all the implementation details.

When you go to purchase clothes from the shop, you go there and see the clothes, you look for the color, size, material, and company that made those clothes. You are not concerned about where these clothes are made or from where this material comes. So this is what abstraction of data is in DBMS. You need only specified things, so abstraction helps to hide irrelevant details and it provides the user with the necessary data only. So in this article, we are going to see data abstraction in detail.

Levels of Abstraction in DBMS

There are three levels of data abstraction in DBMS that are mentioned below.

Data Abstraction levels in DBMS

• Physical or internal level
• logical or conceptual level
• view or external level

So lets see about each level in detail, first we will physical level.

Physical or Internal Level

It is the lowest level of data abstraction which defines how data is stored in database . It defines data structures used to store data and methods to access data in database. It is very complex to understand and hence kept hidden from user. Database administrator decides how and where to store the data in database.

Physical level deals with actual storage details like data organization, disk space allocation and data access methods.

Logical or Conceptual Level

It is intermediate level present next to physical level. It defines what data is present in database and their relationships between them . It is less complex as compared to physical level. Programmers generally work at this level and depending on data, structure of tables, relationships and their constraints is decided at this level.

View or External Level

It is the highest level in abstraction. There are different levels of views and each view defines only a part of whole data required to user. This level defines many views of same database for sim0lication of view to user. This is the highest level and easiest to understand for user.

Conclusion

In this article we have seen about data abstraction which is most important concept in DBMS. Physical level defines how data is stored in database. logical level defines what data is stored. view level defines multiple views by which user can access to data as required by end user.

Frequently Asked Questions on Data Abstraction in DBMS – FAQs

What challenges might arise when implementing data abstraction in a database environment, and how can they be addressed?

Challenges in implementing data abstraction include ensuring consistency between different abstraction levels, managing complex queries efficiently, and maintaining performance while hiding implementation details. Addressing these challenges involves thorough design and testing, optimizing query execution, and using appropriate indexing and caching techniques to improve performance.

Is data abstraction limited to relational database systems, or does it apply to other types of databases as well?

Data abstraction is not limited to relational database systems; it applies to various types of databases, including NoSQL databases, object-oriented databases, and document-oriented databases. Regardless of the database model, data abstraction principles such as hiding implementation details, providing logical and view levels of abstraction, and supporting data independence are essential for maintaining a clear separation between the database schema and the application layer.