Relational, Object-Oriented and Object-Relational Data Models

Abstract

The relational data model is the dominant paradigm in the commercial database market today, and it has been for several years. However, there have been challenges to the model over the years, and they have influenced its evolution and that of database technology. The object-oriented revolution that got started in programming languages arrived to the database area in the form of a brand new data model. The relational model managed not only to survive the newcomer but to continue becoming a dominant force, transformed into the object-relational model (also called extended relational, or universal) and relegating object-oriented databases to a niche product. Although this market has many nontechnical aspects, there are certainly important technical differences among the mentioned data models. In this article I describe the basic components of the relational, object-oriented, and object-relational data models. I do not, however, discuss query language, implementation, or system issues. A basic comparison is given and then future trends are discussed.