Database server
server which uses a database application that provides database services to other computer programs or to computers
A database server is a server which uses a database application that provides database services to other computer programs or to computers, as defined by the client–server model. Database management systems (DBMSs) frequently provide database-server functionality, and some database management systems (such as MySQL) rely exclusively on the client–server model for database access (while others, like SQLite, are meant for use as an embedded database).
Users access a database server either through a "front end" running on the user's computer – which displays requested data – or through the "back end", which runs on the server and handles tasks such as data analysis and storage.
In a master–slave model, database master servers are central and primary locations of data while database slave servers are synchronized backups of the master acting as proxies.
Most database applications respond to a query language. Each database understands its query language and converts each submitted query to server-readable form and executes it to retrieve results.
Examples of proprietary database applications include Oracle, IBM Db2, Informix, and Microsoft SQL Server. Examples of free software database applications include PostgreSQL; and under the GNU General Public Licence include Ingres and MySQL. Every server uses its own query logic and structure. The SQL (Structured Query Language) query language is more or less the same on all relational database applications.
For clarification, a database server is simply a server that maintains services related to clients via database applications.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Database server” is server which uses a database application that provides database services to other computer programs or to computers. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Database, server and uses, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “server which uses a database application that provides database services to other computer programs or to computers” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 9, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q76320. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
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- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
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This entry incorporates text from “Database server” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.