> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://vikram-bajaj.gitbook.io/cs-gy-6083-principles-of-database-systems/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://vikram-bajaj.gitbook.io/cs-gy-6083-principles-of-database-systems/chapter1/why-use-a-dbms-instead-of-a-file-system.md).

# Why use a DBMS instead of a File System?

File Systems have a few disadvantages:

* data redundancy and inconsistency
* difficulty in accessing data (need to write a separate program for each task)
* data isolation (multiple files and formats without interrelation)
* integrity problems (hard to create new constraints and manage existing ones)
* non-atomic transactions (all-or-none property not followed)
* issues with concurrent access by multiple users leading to inconsistencies
* security problems

Using a DBMS instead would address these issues.