Comparison of Network, Hierarchical, and Relational Models
The Hierarchical, Network, and Relational Models are three fundamental database models used for organizing and managing data. Below is a detailed comparison based on key factors:
1. Basic Concept
Feature
Hierarchical Model
Network Model
Relational Model
Structure
Tree-based (Parent-Child)
Graph-based (Many-to-Many)
Table-based (Rows & Columns)
Data Organization
Data is arranged in a hierarchy (One-to-Many)
Data is connected using links (Many-to-Many)
Data is stored in tables (Relations)
Relationships
One-to-Many
Many-to-Many
Many-to-Many
Flexibility
Low
Medium
High
Example
Organization Structure
Banking System
E-commerce Database
2. Data Representation
Feature
Hierarchical Model
Network Model
Relational Model
Data Storage
Parent-child relationship using pointers
Records connected via multiple pointers
Tables (Relations)
Data Access
Top-down navigation (Tree Traversal)
Navigational (Following Links)
Query-based using SQL
Key Elements
Nodes (Parent-Child)
Records (Nodes) & Links
Tables, Rows, Columns
3. Relationships Between Data
Feature
Hierarchical Model
Network Model
Relational Model
One-to-One
Supported
Supported
Supported
One-to-Many
Supported
Supported
Supported
Many-to-Many
❌ Not Supported
✅ Supported
✅ Supported
4. Query Language
Feature
Hierarchical Model
Network Model
Relational Model
Query Method
Navigational (Parent-to-Child Traversal)
Navigational (Following Links)
SQL (Declarative)
Ease of Querying
Difficult
Difficult
Easy (Using SQL)
Example Query
Follow Parent-Child Links
Follow Links
SELECT * FROM Student;
5. Performance and Efficiency
Feature
Hierarchical Model
Network Model
Relational Model
Read Performance
Fast (if structured well)
Fast (Uses Pointers)
Medium (Requires Joins)
Write Performance
Slow (Rigid Structure)
Slow (Pointers need updates)
Medium (SQL operations are optimized)
Data Retrieval Speed
High for fixed queries
High for complex queries
Medium (Complex Joins)
6. Data Integrity and Redundancy
Feature
Hierarchical Model
Network Model
Relational Model
Data Integrity
Low
Medium
High
Data Redundancy
High (Data is repeated in multiple places)
Low (Uses links)
Low (Uses Foreign Keys)
Data Consistency
Low (Updates must be made in multiple places)
Medium (Better than Hierarchical)
High (SQL Enforces Constraints)
7. Flexibility and Scalability
Feature
Hierarchical Model
Network Model
Relational Model
Schema Flexibility
❌ Rigid
✅ Medium
✅ High
Scalability
❌ Hard to scale
✅ Better than Hierarchical
✅ Easy to scale
8. Complexity of Implementation
Feature
Hierarchical Model
Network Model
Relational Model
Implementation Difficulty
Hard (Fixed Structure)
Complex (Pointers & Links)
Easy (Tables & Queries)
Modification Complexity
High (Must restructure tree)
High (Must update all links)
Low (Only modify tables)
9. Practical Applications
Feature
Hierarchical Model
Network Model
Relational Model
Best Used For
File Systems, Organizational Structures
Banking, Telecom
Websites, Business Applications
Examples
IBM IMS, XML Databases
CODASYL DBMS
MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle
10. Summary & Final Comparison Table
Feature
Hierarchical Model
Network Model
Relational Model
Data Structure
Tree
Graph
Table
Data Relationships
One-to-Many
Many-to-Many
Many-to-Many
Query Language
Navigational
Navigational
SQL
Ease of Use
Hard
Complex
Easy
Performance
High (for structured data)
High (for complex relationships)
Medium (Optimized for flexibility)
Redundancy
High
Low
Low
Best Use Case
File Systems, XML
Banking, Telecom
Business Apps, Websites
11. Conclusion
Hierarchical Model → Best for structured, fixed data relationships (e.g., File Systems, Organizational Hierarchies).
Network Model → Best for complex relationships like Banking & Telecom, but hard to manage.
Relational Model → Most widely used model, flexible, and supports SQL (Used in MySQL, Oracle, etc.).
👉 If flexibility & ease of use are needed → Use the Relational Model. 👉 If strict structure & fast retrieval are needed → Use the Hierarchical Model. 👉 If many-to-many relationships are common → Use the Network Model.
