Database - Introduction to Database - Discussion

Metadata means describing properties of other data i.e. a specific data not the structure of whole database whereas self-describing means describing its own structure not the specific data.

Example of metadata: A web page may include metadata specifying what language it is written in, what tools were used to create it, and where to go for more on the subject, allowing browsers to automatically improve the experience of users.

No one gives the exact reason why the database is self-description. Please, someone tells the answer. I too thought it was metadata compatibility.

Self-describing of the database means it fully describe and illustrate its structure and whole content while metadata is the main attribute (uniquely identifiable) describing other attributes of the data not DB.

The answer is self-describing.

A database is considered self-describing because it contains metadata—data that describes its own structure, such as the definitions of tables, columns, data types, and relationships.

This enables the database to provide information about its structure, allowing users and applications to understand how to interact with the data stored within.