# What is a Relational Database? — MySQL

Source: https://www.geekswithgeeks.com/en/mysql/sql-what-is-rdbms

> Data organized into related tables, and how MySQL fits in.

## Rows, columns, tables

A **relational database** stores data in tables made of rows (records) and columns (fields). Tables relate to each other through shared keys.

## Where MySQL fits

MySQL is a free, open-source **relational database management system (RDBMS)** — it stores data and understands SQL, the language used to query it.

## Like a set of spreadsheets

Think of a database as a **workbook** and each table as a **sheet** — but sheets can reference rows in other sheets instead of duplicating data.