Editing Data model (section)

{{Short description|Abstract model}}

[[File:Data modeling context.svg|thumb|upright=1.6| Overview of a data-modeling context: Data model is based on Data, Data relationship, Data semantic and Data constraint. A data model provides the details of [[information]] to be stored, and is of primary use when the final product is the generation of computer [[software code]] for an application or the preparation of a [[functional specification]] to aid a [[computer software]] make-or-buy decision. The figure is an example of the interaction between [[business process modeling|process]] and data models.<ref name="SS93">Paul R. Smith & Richard Sarfaty Publications, LLC 2009</ref>]]

A '''data model''' is an [[abstract model]] that organizes elements of [[data]] and [[Standardization|standardizes]] how they relate to one another and to the properties of real-world [[Entity|entities]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://cedar.princeton.edu/understanding-data/what-data-model |title = What is a Data Model? |website = princeton.edu |access-date = 29 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= UML Domain Modeling - Stack Overflow|url= https://stackoverflow.com/a/3835214|website= Stack Overflow|publisher= Stack Exchange Inc.|access-date= 4 February 2017}}</ref> For instance, a data model may specify that the data element representing a car be composed of a number of other elements which, in turn, represent the color and size of the car and define its owner.

The corresponding professional activity is called generally ''[[data modeling]]'' or, more specifically, ''[[database design]]''.
Data models are typically specified by a data expert, data specialist, data scientist, data librarian, or a data scholar. 
A data [[modeling language]] and notation are often represented in graphical form as diagrams.<ref name="MRM99">
Michael R. McCaleb (1999). [http://nvl.nist.gov/pub/nistpubs/jres/104/4/html/j44mac.htm#apa "A Conceptual Data Model of Datum Systems"] {{Webarchive
|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080921063005/http://nvl.nist.gov/pub/nistpubs/jres/104/4/html/j44mac.htm#apa |date= 2008-09-21 
}}. National Institute of Standards and Technology. August 1999.
</ref>

A data model can sometimes be referred to as a [[data structure]], especially in the context of [[programming language]]s. Data models are often complemented by [[function model]]s, especially in the context of [[enterprise model]]s.

A data model explicitly determines the ''structure of data''; conversely, '''structured data''' is data organized according to an explicit data model or data structure. Structured data is in contrast to ''[[unstructured data]]'' and ''[[semi-structured data]]''.