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What is SQL?

Web Development Jargons Explained in 5 Different Ways

TLDR: SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is a specific programming language for managing relational database management systems. With SQL, you can easily write programs to create, read, update, and delete data.


Explain like I only speak in plain English

SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is a specific programming language for managing relational database management systems. With SQL, you can easily write programs to create, read, update, and delete data in a database.

SQL is the interface language of virtually all relational database systems. Popular systems include MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle. SQL is a cornerstone of back-end web development and data analytics.

Explain like I'm a total nerd

SQL, originally named SEQUEL (Structured English Query Language) was created in the 1970s by two scientists at IBM. The concept is based on a scientific paper written by Edgar Codd called "A Relational Model of Data for Large Shared Data Banks".

The advancement in SQL compared to its early counterparts was its ability to retrieve multiple data entries with just one command. It is also particularly good at dealing with relationships between different data types. Such as authors and their books.

Early relational database management system vendors implemented their own versions of SQL, and SQL commands were not fully interoperable between different vendors. In 1996, a SQL standard was established and the industry started complying with the new standard.

Explain like I'm an artist

SQL is the interface between a data store and the user. You can use SQL to search for items in the data store based on its attributes. It is like a look up system for artefacts in a museum's storage room. You can search for an artefact based on its origin and date.

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Explain like I already know it

Mastering SQL is useful if you have to deal with complex data queries, especially in data analytics. A well written SQL statement can be 50% or more efficient than a badly written one.

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