4.3.5 Views

• Database


  Permits different views of the data
• Views are not fixed in the database's structure; instead, they are created as and when they are needed
• Uses of views


  • Allowing data from multiple tables to be displayed alongside one another, hiding the complexity of the underlying database
  • Limiting access to critical information
  • Generating data on demand by combining results from several different tables
  • Increasing security
• Database views (drawbacks)


  • Dependent on the arrangement of the underlying tables
  • Accessing data through views tends to be slightly slower than directly accessing the tables
• Almost any online service that allows you to customise what you see, or offers information that it thinks you will find useful, will be using views onto a common database