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📋 Data Formats

There are different types of data formats...

Types:​

  • Program files, Document (word processes) files, images, videos, Sound/music, spreadsheets.

Formats:​

  • Document/Word Process: .docx, .txt, .pages, .rtf, .odt

  • Spreadsheet: .xlsx, .numbers, .ods, .csv, .tsv

  • Images: .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .bmp, .tiff, .svg

  • Sound: .mp3, .wav, .ogg, .wma

  • Video: .mp4, .mov, .avi, .mkv

  • Compress: .zip, .rar, .7zip, .gz, .tar

We have different file formats because:

  • Standards
  • File size
  • Compatibility
  • Quality
  • Editing

Compression:

  • Lossy
    • Loose quality, file size smaller
  • Lossless
    • Keep quality, file size a little smaller

PNG vs JPG

PNG will be the same after compression, it is lossless compression.

JPG quality is lower than PNG, it is lossy compression.

File structures​

File based structure (flat files) Data grouped based on a type of file.
One file, that stores data in a logical format.

Example

Spreadsheet

Directory Based Structure​

Data in files within separate organised folders. Structure tends to be hierarchical.

Realational database models​

Organised data in tables, which are linked together. Data is a particular scenario.


Advantages
- Flexible in handline data
- Organised data in separate tables
- Simpler compared to other models
- Easy to back up data

Disadvantages
- Initial setup costs are expensive
- Can get slow peformance, depending on data stored
- Can be complex to store large amounts of data

Flat files vs Relational database structure​

Disadvantages
- Flat files are less secure
- Flat files can get data entry errors
- Flat files have repeated data, causing confusion and update errors
- Difficult to update

Advantages
- Flat files are easy to manage, due to one file
- Flat files require less hardware/software
- Easier to unserstand and setup

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