A data model is a set of concepts that define the structure of data in a database. The three main types of data models are the hierarchical model, network model, and relational model. The hierarchical model uses a tree structure with parent-child relationships, while the network model allows many-to-many relationships but is more complex. The relational model - which underlies most modern databases - uses tables with rows and columns to represent data, and relationships are represented by values in columns.
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