OCR GCSE Computer Science Complete Practice Exam 2025

A flat file database is characterized by consisting of only one table stored within a single data file. This structure allows all data to be organized in a straightforward format, typically with rows representing records and columns representing fields. Since there is no relational structure involving multiple tables, it simplifies the design and implementation of the database.

In contrast, a database that contains multiple correlated tables would be considered a relational database, which uses relationships among different tables to organize data. Additionally, while a flat file database can be efficient for certain uses, it may not be optimized for more complex search operations compared to relational databases that can utilize indexing and various query methods. Furthermore, flat file databases can handle reasonably large datasets, but they are generally not the most efficient choice for exceptionally large amounts of data compared to other database systems designed for scalability.