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Database catalog

Metadata of database objects

Wikipedia contributorsAdapted for Fathomly · View authors
1 min read
Source updated June 28, 2025

A database catalog of a database instance consists of metadata in which definitions of database objects such as base tables, views (virtual tables), synonyms, value ranges, indexes, users, and user groups are stored. It is an architecture product that documents the database's content and data quality.

01Standards

The SQL standard specifies a uniform means to access the catalog, called the INFORMATION_SCHEMA, but not all databases follow this, even if they implement other aspects of the SQL standard. For an example of database-specific metadata access methods, see Oracle metadata.

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Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Database catalog”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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Related topics

Data dictionary

A data dictionary, or metadata repository, as defined in the IBM Dictionary of Computing, is a "centralized repository of information about data such as meaning, relationships to other data, origin, usage, and format". Oracle defines it as a collection of tables with metadata.

Data lineage

Data lineage refers to the process of tracking how data is generated, transformed, transmitted and used across systems over time. It documents data's origins, transformations and movements, providing detailed visibility into its life cycle.

Data Catalog Vocabulary

Data Catalog Vocabulary is a resource description framework, a specialized control vocabulary to promote metadata catalog interoperability across the internet. As of April 2026, most recent version of the vocabulary is DCAT Version 3.