File System vs DBMS

In this tutorial, you will learn about what is a file system and DBMS. And, the key differences between a file system vs DBMS.

What is a File System

A file management system is a system that can access to single file or table at a time. Data is directly stored in a set of files. A file system is a method for storing and organizing computer files. The file system may use a storage device such as a hard disk or CD-ROM. The following diagram shows the file-oriented approach. There is no relation between these two master files.

What is DBMS

A DBMS (Database Management system) is a software system that allows users to define, create and maintain a database. It provides controlled access to the data. The commercially available DBMS in the market are Dbase, Foxpro, IMS, and Oracle. The following diagram shows the structure of a database management system.

File system vs DBMS

There are many differences between the file system and DBMS and some of them are given below:

File System	DBMS
A File system is a method for storing and organizing computer files.	DBMS is a software system that allows users to define, create, and maintain a database.
The structure of the file system is simple.	DBMS has a complex structure.
In a file system, the problem of data redundancy can occur.	In DBMS there is no problem of data redundancy.
The file system is PC based.	DBMS is mainframe-based software.
There is no protection of data, so it has less security.	In a DBMS, security is high compared to a file system.
In a file system, data recovery and backup are not possible, if it is lost.	DBMS provides a mechanism for data backup and recovery if it is lost.
It is less expensive than DBMS.	DBMS is more expensive as compared to the file system.
Only a single user can access the file at a time.	It is a shared system, so, multiple users can access data at a time.
In a file system, it is difficult to access the data at the same time.	Accessing a database is easy in DBMS.