Flat File Storage: Pros and Cons | Exam Prep

Flat File Storage

Question

Which of the following would work BEST stored as a flat file rather than stored in a database?

Answers

Explanations

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A. B. C. D.

A.

A flat file is a file that stores data in a plain text format, where each line represents a record and the fields are separated by a delimiter such as commas or tabs. A database, on the other hand, is a collection of data that is organized in a structured way, with tables, columns, and relationships between them.

Out of the options given, the data that would work best stored as a flat file rather than a database is likely the contact list. A contact list typically contains a limited number of fields such as name, phone number, and email address. Since a contact list is usually small and doesn't require complex queries or relationships, a flat file would suffice.

Movie theater locations, directions to doctor's office, and store inventory, on the other hand, are all data sets that would likely be better stored in a database. This is because they have more complex data structures that require more fields and relationships between them. For example, a movie theater database may include information such as movie schedules, theater seating charts, and pricing options. A store inventory database would include information such as product names, descriptions, prices, and stock levels, as well as relationships between products and categories.

Storing this information in a flat file would require more manual manipulation and be less efficient to query and maintain than a database. Therefore, the best choice for storing these data sets would be a database.