Editing Database server (section)

{{short description|Computer server providing database services}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2014}}
A '''database server''' is a server which uses a [[database application]] that provides [[database]] services to other computer programs or to [[computer]]s, as defined by the [[client–server]] [[software modeling|model]].{{citation needed|date=January 2018|reason=The original data in this sentence was not cited and was incorrect. A database server is not a computer application.  It is a server which house a database application. Web Link=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/40885/database-server}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/40885/database-server|title=database server Definition from PC Magazine Encyclopedia|website=www.pcmag.com|language=en|access-date=2018-02-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ecomputernotes.com/fundamental/what-is-a-database/what-is-a-database-server|title=What is a Database Server|last=Thakur|first=Dinesh|website=ecomputernotes.com|date=23 January 2013 |language=en-gb|access-date=2018-02-03}}</ref> [[Database|Database management systems]] (DBMSs) frequently provide database-server functionality, and some database management systems (such as [[MySQL]]) rely exclusively on the client–server model for database access (while others, like [[SQLite]], are meant for use as an [[embedded database]]).

Users access a database server either through a "[[Front and back ends|front end]]" running on the user's computer{{snd}}which displays requested data{{snd}}or through the "[[Front and back ends|back end]]", which runs on the server and handles tasks such as data analysis and storage.

In a [[master/slave (technology)|master–slave]] model, database master servers are central and primary locations of data while database slave servers are synchronized backups of the master acting as [[proxy server|proxies]].

Most database applications respond to a [[query language]]. Each database understands its query language and converts each submitted query to server-readable form and executes it to retrieve results.

Examples of proprietary database applications include [[Oracle Database|Oracle]], [[IBM Db2]], [[Informix]], and [[Microsoft SQL Server]]. Examples of [[free software]] database applications include [[PostgreSQL]]; and under the [[GNU General Public Licence]] include [[Ingres (database)|Ingres]] and [[MySQL]]. Every server uses its own query logic and structure. The [[SQL]] (Structured Query Language) query language is more or less the same on all [[relational database]] applications.

For clarification, a database server is simply a server that maintains services related to clients via database applications.

[[DB-Engines ranking|DB-Engines]] lists over 300 DBMSs in its ranking.<ref>
{{cite web
|url= http://db-engines.com/en/ranking 
|title= DB-Engines Ranking 
|publisher= DB-Engines.com 
|date= 2018-01-23 
|access-date= 2018-01-23
}}
</ref>