What is the term for a column in a database used to store a specific category of data?

The term "field" refers to a specific column within a database table that is designed to hold a particular type of information. Each field represents one attribute or category of data relevant to the records within that table. For example, in a database for a library, you might have fields for titles, authors, publication years, and genres. Each field can hold one value from each record in the table, allowing for organized, structured data storage and accurate data management.

In contrast, a table represents a collection of records, which can contain multiple fields that describe various aspects of an entity. A record is a complete set of related information, which can be thought of as a row in a table that may consist of multiple fields. A file generally refers to a collection of data that may contain multiple tables and is not specifically tied to a single category of data like a field.