Database Vs Data warehouse Vs Data lake

Most often data analysts get confused when comparing the terms Database, Data warehouse, and Data lake?

Here’s a quick explanation of the differences between them.

Database

A database is the real-time collection of all the information pertaining to an organization. It contains multiple tables designed using a relational schema to store structured data. The main purpose of the database is to store data live in real time. It is used to record the transactions happening in an organization.

Data warehouse

A data warehouse is a special type of database, which is specially designed to be used for data analysis and business intelligence (i.e.) for reporting purposes. The data from the multiple data sources is captured at regular intervals, reshaped (ETL process), and stored in the data warehouse. It helps us to keep track of historical data, including the changes made in the past.

Data lake

A data lake is a storage medium where along with tabular data, unstructured data such as images, videos, etc. can also be stored. It can store all kinds of information about an organization in a structured, semi-structured manner or unstructured manner. It can be used for machine learning and AI purposes.

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