A database is a structured set of data held in a computer system, allowing the storage, retrieval, and management of data. It is designed to manage transactional data, which is data that is actively being inserted, updated, or deleted on a regular basis. This type of database is known as an **OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) database**. On the other hand, a data warehouse is a type of database designed specifically for analytical processing. It is an **OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) database** that is optimized for complex queries and reporting. A data warehouse is typically used to support managerial and strategic decision-making by providing a comprehensive view of the data. While both serve the purpose of storing and managing data, they are used for different purposes and are optimized for different types of operations. A data warehouse can be considered a specialized form of a database that is designed to handle the specific needs of analytics and reporting. read more >>

The important fact is that a transactional database doesn't lend itself to analytics. ... A data warehouse is a database of a different kind: an OLAP (online analytical processing) database. A data warehouse exists as a layer on top of another database or databases (usually OLTP databases).read more >>