Multidimensional model vs. Flatfile model

The difference between multidimensional and Flat file model

The multidimensional structure is similar to the relational model. The dimensions of the cube-like model have data relating to elements in each cell. This structure gives a spreadsheet-like view of data. This structure is easy to maintain because records are stored as fundamental attributes - in the same way they are viewed - and the structure is easy to understand. Its high performance has made it the most popular database structure when it comes to enabling online analytical processing (OLAP).

Vs.

A flat file database describes any of various means to encode a database model (most commonly a table) as a single file (such as .txt or .ini).