What is the difference between database and schema?

Databases are structured collections of data organized for rapid retrieval, with schemas serving as blueprints that define data structure and relationships within the database. In transactional databases, normalized schemas are optimal for real-time data writing, while analytical systems like data warehouses use schemas optimized for reading large data volumes for analysis. Dimensional data warehouses implement a denormalized schema model, consisting of fact and dimension tables, to efficiently store and retrieve aggregated data for business analysis. Fact tables hold aggregated metrics, providing accessible business insights, while dimension tables offer context by organizing related information. This structure allows business analysts to quickly query relevant data and examine historical trends without frequent updates, as opposed to the normalized designs in transactional databases that avoid redundancy.