Inherent constraints play an important role in the semantic Xplain model. These constraints enable us to represent certain real world knowledge once for subsequent use in several applications. The Xplain DBMS has demonstrated that a broad class of applications can be developed by only defining structural properties of the data required by the applications. This results in a concentration of all software in the DBMS and makes often specific application software superfluous. Advantages of this semantic approach are amongst others: reliable data processing, simple and rapid application development and a significant reduction of maintenance costs. It makes databases also attainable for a broad, new class of end users.
J. H. ter Bekke