B5- Group B: Papadourakis (SQL)

What is SQL & why is it important?

SQL was developed in the early 1970’s by two computer scientists named Donald Chamberlin and Raymond Boyce. Today it is known as the standard language for relational data query, and can be used to manage data held in relational database management systems. One of the most popular database systems that uses SQL is Oracle.

The acronym SQL stands for “Structured Query Language.”  People use SQL to update and retrieve data on a database through a series of commands. Simple functions allow users to be able to insert, select, and track elements. In a code using SQL one will see ample use of features such as operators and conditional statements.

One of the topics covered in this course was the concept of interoperability. Although the uses for SQL have grown since it became a standard programming language in 1986, it still lacks portability and needs to be adjusted when you switch database systems. This is due to the existence of proprietary applications that are unique to different databases.

SQL is incredibly important because it is the international standard for data manipulation. Without it accessing information in large databases would be both more difficult and tedious.

References:

Beal, Vangie. "SQL - Structured Query Language." What Is Structured Query Language (SQL)? Webopedia, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.

Rouse, Margaret. "SQL (Structured Query Language)." What Is ? TechType, 2015. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.

"What Is SQL?" SQLCourse. ITBusinessEdge, 2015. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.

Responses:

Mikaela Price: I like that you brought up the notion that SQL is “antiquated.” I mention interoperability in my post and it goes right in hand with the large tables you reference that make the code difficult to transport between systems.

Dmitriy Voznyak: Good call taking the time to explain the four types of database management systems. After doing research on SQL I was familiar with the names but not of their different uses. Your post helped clarify.

Young Kwang Lee: You mentioned that even by using a search engine you are inadvertently using SQL. I was thinking the same thing when I was using “and” and “or” functions while searching the library catalog for articles on SQL.