In SharePoint Server products, you can get a lot of mileage out of something as simple as a list. A SharePoint list is a collection of similar items, which may contain columns or fields that define the item data or metadata schema. Each item stored in a list shares the same schema.
Now you will be thinking how is a SharePoint Server 2010 List different from a SharePoint Library, right? Simple, in SharePoint lists, items are defined by metadata or the columns of a list with documents being attached to that metadata. In a SharePoint library, a document is the item with library metadata supporting the document.
Lists in SharePoint resemble database tables in structure and behavior. Lists support various field or data types, and can have triggers that react to list events such as creating, updating, or deleting items. In addition, lists can be configured to filter, sort, or group items based on item data or properties. SharePoint lists also support various methods of visualization, both in the display of data and in the editing or entry of item data.
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