Relational databases are types of databases that store data in a structured and straightforward way, i.e. rows and columns in a series of tables. This style is based on the relational model of data, an intuitive and efficient way of representing data in tables as described by computer scientist Edgar F. Codd. They are called relational because the data are related to each other. These databases also provide access to data in relation to another piece of data in the database.