A database management system (DBMS) interface is a user interface which allows for the ability to input queries to a database without using the query language itself. A DBMS interface could be a web client, a local client that runs on a desktop computer, or even a mobile app.
User Interface For Database
Database Users are the one who interacts with the system. There can be four different types of users according to the way they interact with the system and for all the different users, different kind of user interfaces are designed as well.
Techopedia Explains DBMS Interface
A database management system stores data and responds to queries using a query language, such as SQL. A DBMS interface provides a way to query data without having to use the query language, which can be complicated.
The typical way to do this is to create some kind of form that shows what kinds of queries users can make. Web-based forms are increasingly common with the popularity of MySQL, but the traditional way to do it has been local desktop apps. It is also possible to create mobile applications. These interfaces provide a friendlier way of accessing data rather than just using the command line.
The four types of users are:
Naive users
Application Programmers
Sophisticated Users
Online Analytical Processing (OLAP)
Let us have a look over all the four users and their interfaces:
1) Naive Users
Naive users are also termed as unsophisticated users and they interact with the system by calling anyone application program that has been written previously.
For e.g. – To transfer the program from one account to another, there is a need for an application program called transfer.
The user interface that is required for the naïve users is a forms interface, in which the user can fill the required fields.
Naive users can also easily read the reports that are generated from the database.
2) Application programmers
Application programmers are the one who is responsible to write the application programs. They develop user interfaces through different tools. To construct the forms and the reports such that there is no need to write the program, there is a tool named Rapid Application Development (RAD).
Some special type of programming languages is also available such that includes vital control structures such as for loops, while loops and many others with the data manipulation language’s statements. These special programming languages are termed as fourth-generation languages and they include the special features to provide the ability for the generation of the forms and to display the data on the screen.
In today’s world, a large variety of commercial database systems includes these fourth generation languages.
3) Sophisticated users
Sophisticated users aren’t interested in writing programs and they interact with the system without writing any programs. Contrary, they use database query languages to interact with the system.
Sophisticated Users submit their queries to a query processor. Query Processor provides the facility to break the DML statements into the instruction that can be understood by the storage manager.
Analysts are one among the sophisticated users.
They use the tools to perform their task such as:
Online analytical processing (OLAP) – It helps the analysts to view them the summaries of the data in different ways.
Data Mining Tools – It helps the analysts find a certain kind of pattern in the given data.
4) Specialized users
Among Sophisticated Users, there are Specialized Users too who used to write specialized database applications that differ to the traditional framework of data processing.
These users use the interfaces that are computer-aided design systems, knowledge base and systems that store the complex data types and also environment-modeling systems.
User friendly interfaces
Let’s discuss the user-friendly interfaces provided by the DBMS in detail.
Menu-based interfaces
These interfaces contain the lists of options through which the user is able to send the request.
The Pull-down menus are a very popular technique in web-based user interfaces.
These types of interfaces are mainly used by the web browsing users and web clients.
Forms-based interfaces
These types of interfaces are displaying a form to each user. The user is able to fill the entries to insert new data.
These forms are usually designed and programmed by naïve users as interfaces for recorded transactions.
User who wants to submit the online information by filling and submitting the details are going to use this type of interface
To create accounts on a website, or enrolling into some institution etc are also preferred to use this interface.
Graphical user interfaces
A graphical user interface contains a diagrammatic form that comprises a schema to the user.
The user asks a query by manipulating the diagram. These interfaces use the mouse as a pointing device to pick certain parts of the diagram.
These types of interfaces are used by the users who use electronic gadgets like mobile phones and touch screens.
Natural language interfaces
These interfaces accept the request from the user and try to interpret it.
The natural languages interfaces have their own schema which is like the database conceptual schema.
The search engines these days are using natural language interfaces.
The user can use these search engines to accept the words and retrieve the related information.
Speech input and output interfaces
These types of interfaces accept speech as an input and output the speech as a result.
These types of interfaces are mostly used in the inquiry for telephone directory or to get the flight information over the smart gadgets etc.
Interfaces for parametric users
Parametric users like bank tellers have a small set of operations that they must perform repeatedly.
These interfaces contain some commands to perform a request with minimum keystrokes.
These interfaces can be used in bank transactions to deposit or withdraw of money.
Interfaces for DBA
These interfaces contain some commands for creating accounts, to manipulate the database to perform some operations on the database.
These interfaces are specially used by the database administrators.