What advantage does a relational database have over a flat file database?

A relational database offers the distinct advantage of being able to link multiple tables through key fields, which enhances data organization and integrity. In a relational database, data is stored in tables that can be interconnected with one another using primary and foreign keys. This structure allows for complex relationships to be established, enabling efficient data retrieval and management.

For example, in a relational database of a school system, you might have a table for students, a table for classes, and a table for teachers. By using key fields, such as student ID and class ID, the database can easily link and relate information across these tables. This allows for powerful queries that can pull together related information that would be cumbersome to manage in a flat file database, where data is typically stored in a single table without relationships.

In contrast, while other aspects like user-friendliness, memory usage, and maintenance can differ between database types, the capability to manage and relate multiple tables through key fields is a fundamental strength of relational databases, enabling them to handle more complex data needs efficiently.