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Designing databases
The first step in creating a relational database is to construct a data model, which is a precise, complete definition of the data you want to store. After you prepare your data model, you must implement it as a database and tables. To implement your data model, you first select a data type for each column and then you create a database and tables and populate the tables with data. You can also implement fragmentation strategies and control access to your data.
Designing and Implementing a Database
The Informix® Database Design and Implementation Guide provides information to help you design, implement, and manage your Informix databases. It includes data models that illustrate different approaches to database design and shows you how to use structured query language (SQL) to implement and manage your databases.
Basics of database design and implementation
Plan a database
Use ANSI-compliant databases
Differences between ANSI-compliant and non-ANSI-compliant databases
Transactions

Designing databases
The first step in creating a relational database is to construct a data model, which is a precise, complete definition of the data you want to store. After you prepare your data model, you must implement it as a database and tables. To implement your data model, you first select a data type for each column and then you create a database and tables and populate the tables with data. You can also implement fragmentation strategies and control access to your data.
- Designing and Implementing a Database
  The Informix® Database Design and Implementation Guide provides information to help you design, implement, and manage your Informix databases. It includes data models that illustrate different approaches to database design and shows you how to use structured query language (SQL) to implement and manage your databases.

Transactions

A transaction is a collection of SQL statements that are treated as a single unit of work. All the SQL statements that you issue in an ANSI-compliant database are automatically contained in transactions. With a database that is not ANSI-compliant, transaction processing is an option.

In a database that is not ANSI-compliant, a transaction is enclosed by a BEGIN WORK statement and a COMMIT WORK or a ROLLBACK WORK statement. However, in an ANSI-compliant database, the BEGIN WORK statement is unnecessary, because all statements are automatically contained in a transaction. You are required to indicate only the end of a transaction with a COMMIT WORK or ROLLBACK WORK statement.

For more information about transactions, see Implement a relational data model and the Informix® Guide to SQL: Tutorial.