Databases are one of the most essential tools in technology, enabling efficient data storage, organization, and retrieval. This facilitates management, analysis, and decision-making across various sectors. Databases rely on specialized management systems known as Database Management Systems (DBMS), which allow users to access data quickly and securely.<br />Databases are classified into several types, the most prominent being Relational Databases, which store data in interconnected tables using systems like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Oracle. Additionally, there are NoSQL Databases, which are used in large-scale applications such as social networks and big data analytics, including systems like MongoDB and Cassandra.<br />Databases play a crucial role in various fields. They are used in the banking sector to manage accounts and financial transactions, in healthcare to store medical records and track patient conditions, and in e-commerce to manage inventory and analyze customer behavior. Artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) also rely heavily on databases for data processing and analysis.<br />One of the key advantages of databases is that they provide security to protect information from breaches, data integrity to ensure accuracy, flexibility to allow easy expansion and modification, and fast data retrieval when needed.<br />Despite their many benefits, databases face challenges such as increasing data volume, the need for strong protection against cyberattacks, and high-performance requirements for real-time data processing. With technological advancements, cloud-based solutions like Google Cloud SQL and Amazon RDS now offer efficient database management without requiring complex infrastructure.<br />As data technologies continue to evolve, databases will remain a fundamental component of information management. They contribute to improving organizational performance and enabling data-driven decision-making, ultimately enhancing efficiency across various industries.<br />Almustaqbal University, the first in Iraq.<br />