What is a key benefit of using a relational database?

Using a relational database offers the key benefit of consistent data access, which is essential for maintaining data integrity and reliability across applications. Relational databases organize data into tables that can be easily linked through relationships, allowing users to perform queries, updates, and transactions consistently. This structured approach not only supports data integrity rules, such as primary and foreign keys, but also ensures that users can retrieve accurate and up-to-date information.

When data is accessed through a relational database, it is typically managed using Structured Query Language (SQL), which provides a standardized way to interact with the data. This leads to a more predictable and dependable user experience. Organizations can rely on this consistency when developing applications or performing analytics, as they can be assured that the results will be accurate, assuming the data is properly normalized and managed.

In contrast, other options suggest drawbacks of relational databases. For instance, limited scalability can pose challenges as data volume grows, while increased data redundancy is generally something that relational databases aim to minimize through normalization. Lastly, while relational databases can effectively handle complex data relationships, it is the consistent access that stands out as a primary benefit in the context of reliability and data integrity.