Why Databases?

So far, your websites have been **static** — the same for everyone, every time.

**What you've built:** - HTML pages with fixed content - CSS styling - Maybe some JavaScript for interactivity

**What you can't do (yet):** - Remember user preferences between visits - Let users create accounts - Store data users enter (posts, comments, orders) - Show different content to different users - Keep track of anything that changes

**Example:** You build a todo app. User adds items. User closes browser. User returns. ❌ Without a database: All todos are gone ✅ With a database: Todos are still there

**The missing piece:** A way to save and retrieve data that persists beyond the browser session.