A database is a structured collection of data that is organized in a way that allows for efficient storage, retrieval, and manipulation of information. Databases are foundational to a wide range of applications, from simple tasks like managing contact lists and schedules to complex operations like e-commerce transactions, scientific research, and real-time analytics. They can be categorized based on their architecture—such as relational, document-based, or graph databases—as well as their use cases, such as operational or analytical databases. Relational databases, for example, use tables to organize data and are particularly suited for complex queries and transactions. With the advent of big data and cloud computing, databases have evolved to handle larger volumes of data, higher speeds, and more varieties of data formats. Managing a database involves tasks like data modeling, indexing, and securing data, and is typically done by database administrators using specialized software tools.