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How do network databases differ from hierarchical databases?
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In the context of database models, the primary difference between hierarchical and network databases lies in how they structure the relationships between data records:
- Hierarchical model: This model organizes record types into a rigid, treelike structure. In this arrangement, data is typically organized in a parent-child relationship, where records are grouped under higher-level categories (e.g., employee records grouped under specific department records).1
- Network model: This model allows for more flexible, arbitrary linkages between record types. Unlike the hierarchical model, a record in a network database can be linked to multiple other records. For example, an employee record might be linked simultaneously to their department and to their specific supervisor, allowing for more complex data associations.1
Both models were developed to support the linkage of different types of records, moving beyond the limitations of simple sequential file systems.1