Database view, also known as a virtual table, is a subset of a database defined by a query. It is created from one or more other tables in the database. It can be used to summarize data, hide sensitive information, or simply make it easier to work with the data.
Keep reading to find further information on the definition of database view and how it is created!
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Database View
A database view is a logical table that does not physically exist and doesn’t hold any data. Instead, it consists of pre-defined queries that can be used to get data from one or more tables.
Database views are handy when it comes to hiding sensitive information, like passwords and social security numbers, from users who do not need to see it. It also makes it easy to work with the data in the database by providing a summarized view of the data instead of having to look at all the individual tables.
A view can be created from any number of base tables, but most views are built using a single table. As it doesn’t use space in the database, creating a view is very fast and not resource-intensive.
How to Create a Database View?
Views can be created in two ways:
Views can be created with the CREATE VIEW statement, which creates a view from one or more tables. This statement requires the name of the view that will be used to generate the data for the view.
The CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW statement can also be used to create a view from scratch or replace an existing view.
Example:
CREATE VIEW myview AS
SELECT * FROM mytable;
This example creates a view called myview that contains all the columns and rows from the mytable table.
Once a view is created, it can be queried like any other table in the database. To do this, simply use the name of the view in a SELECT statement.
Example:
SELECT * FROM myview;
This example queries the myview view for all of its data.
Database Views – The Benefits
There are several benefits of using database views, which include:
Hiding Data
You can use a view to hide sensitive information from users who should not have access to it. For example, you could create a view that only shows the customer’s name and address but not their credit card number.
Don’t Occupy Space
As mentioned earlier, views don’t take up any space in the database as they don’t physically exist. This makes them a fast and efficient way to get data from the database.
Easier to Use
Views can also make it simpler to leverage the data in the database by offering a summary view of the information instead of sifting through all of the tables.
Data Security
Views can help improve your data security by restricting access to certain columns or tables in a database.
Faster Queries
The results are returned much faster than if you were to run the same query against the base tables when you use a view.
Conclusion
In conclusion, database views provide an easy and efficient way to work with data in a database. They offer an easy view of the information, hide sensitive data, and improve security. So, you can consider using views when designing your database for your next project.