What is OLAP (Online Analytical Processing)?
Database systems optimised for complex analytical queries across large volumes of historical data.
Why It Matters
OLAP systems let you run complex reports and analysis without slowing down your production database.
Real-World Example
Querying total revenue by product category, region, and quarter across three years of data.
“Understanding terms like OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) matters because it helps you have better conversations with developers and make smarter decisions about your software. You do not need to be technical. You just need to know enough to ask the right questions.”
Related Terms
OLTP (Online Transaction Processing)
Database systems optimised for handling many small, fast transactions like user actions and purchases.
Data Warehouse
A large database optimised for storing and analysing historical data from multiple sources.
Database
An organised collection of data that your application can store, retrieve, and update
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Related Terms
Database
An organised collection of data that your application can store, retrieve, and update
Data Warehouse
A large database optimised for storing and analysing historical data from multiple sources.
OLTP (Online Transaction Processing)
Database systems optimised for handling many small, fast transactions like user actions and purchases.
SQL
A language for communicating with databases, used to create, read, update, and delete data
NoSQL
Databases that store data differently from traditional tables, often as flexible documents or key-value pairs
PostgreSQL
A powerful, free, open-source database known for reliability and advanced features