Database activities - data manipulation

Insertion, amendment, deletion, retrieval of data

In a Database this is often achieved using the SQL database engine. A DBMS and it's form /report generator (such as provided via a 4GL) using SQL to "bridge" the DBMS and the database.

The Database will ensure

Referential integrity is maintained, to ensure data that is dependent on other data is not removed.(For example an employee cannot be deleted if timesheets for that employee exist).
Security schemes are in place to ensure the privacy of data.
Audit records and fields are created that contain the changes applied to the database. This may involve before and after images.
Validation rules may be applied, often using a data dictionary

CODASYL

Traditionally (in the CODASYL network database model) a Data manipulation language (DML) was specified for COBOL.

Data manipulation language (DML):
The language component of a DBMS that is used by the programmer to access and modify the contents of a database.
McFadden, Hoffer (1994)