Editing Row (database) (section)

{{Short description|Record in a relational database table}}
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In a [[relational database]], a '''row''' or "[[record (computer science)|record]]" or "[[tuple]]", represents a single, implicitly structured [[data]] item in a [[table (database)|table]]. A database table can be thought of as consisting of rows and [[column (database)|columns]].<ref>[http://www.techopedia.com/definition/4425/database-row "What is a database row?"] Cory Janssen, Techopedia, retrieved 27 June 2014</ref> Each row in a table represents a set of related data, and every row in the table has the same structure.

For example, in a table that represents companies, each row might represent a single company. Columns might represent things like company name, address, etc. In a table that represents ''the association'' of employees with departments, each row would associate one employee with one department.

The implicit structure of a row, and the meaning of the data values in a row, requires that the row be understood as providing a succession of data values, one in each column of the table. The row is then interpreted as a [[relvar]] composed of a set of [[tuple]]s, with each tuple consisting of the two items: the name of the relevant column and the value this row provides for that column.

Each column expects a data value of a particular [[datatype|type]].

For example, one column might require a unique [[identifier]], another might require text representing a person's name, another might require an integer representing hourly pay in [[dollar]]s.