What does the term "serializable" refer to in the

Solution

In the context of database systems, serializability is a critical property of transaction scheduling that ensures the correctness of concurrent transactions. A schedule (or execution sequence) of transactions is considered serializable if it can be transformed into a serial schedule—where transactions are executed one after the other without overlapping—by reordering the transactions, without changing the final outcome of the transactions. The concept of serializability ensures that even if multiple transactions are executed concurrently, the database remains consistent and the result is the same as if the transactions had been executed in some sequential order. This property is essential for maintaining the integrity of the database and preventing anomalies such as lost updates, temporary inconsistencies, and uncommitted data. Here’s an MCQ based on dense indexing in database systems: