Database driven websites can really add to your web presence.
When you are ready to customize your site to your customers,
deliver flexible content, or employ eCommerce, let us help you
to Kick Things Up a Notch!
The internet would not be what it is today without the
incorporation of databases. There are millions of databases existing to store all sorts of information from employee records to consumer shopping preferences.
Databases are a major part of the "dynamic" website. That
next significant step up from the old static format most small
to medium businesses have incorporated into their websites.
So, what is a database? What are they used for? Should you incorporate one into your website?
What is a database?
If you are unfamiliar with the term as it relates to the web, a database is a structured collection of information or data. It can be anything from a list of email addresses to a catalog of products including the descriptions, pricing and image paths relating to those products. Database technology can facilitate site content management, information dissemination, and the online collection of survey data.
How does a database work?
A database creates pages for your website dynamically. This means, rather than a site consisting of many static or unchanging pages, each page is generated based on information in your database, at the time the page is accessed by a user.
What are the advantages of using a database?
Dynamic, database driven websites have many advantages over a normal static site.
You can customize your presentation to your customer/member.
You can efficiently present your product catalog and enable
visitors to purchase your product or services online. You
may generate your web pages automatically based on information
stored in the database.
Example:
A library may present their changing collection on their
website. Each book may be found by Author, by Genre, by
... Without a database, the webmaster would need to modify
each sorted list manually in order to present them on static
pages. Whenever a book drops in or out of the collection,
each page would need to be modified individually, provided the
webmaster remembers to make all of the changes. With a
database, the books can be categorized for different sorting
criteria, and a database driven page can display every item in
that category. When a change is needed, the only change is
to the database data. The website will always present the
up-to-date information.
What are the benefits of using a database?
You should use a database if you:
-
wish to collect data from your users
-
wish to customize your pages based on your users'
information
-
need eCommerce capabilities
-
need to limit access by user
-
...
A database allows any data collected from the user, such as contact details, bookings or orders, to be stored efficiently for instant retrieval,
and it enables users to search the site very effectively.
