[DB-SIG] Beginner in troubles.

[Magnus Lyckå]

At 14:17 2002-03-19 +0900, Arthur Albano wrote:
>  MySQL is a database software. SQL(*2) is the acronym for 'Structured 
> Query Language'. Therefore, SQL is a programming language.
...
>Ignacio wrote:
>  I have another question. what's the difference between SQL and MySQL? 
> I've found SQL basic functions easy to work with. I suppose there are no=
 
> big differences between both lenguages, are there?

Well, to muddy the waters a bit... SQL is standard for programming
languages. The MySQL system includes one implementation of that standard,
which is not complete, but on the other hand contains a number of
extensions. Neither a subset not a superset. A sideset you might say..

The same goes to some extent for all the RDBMS products such as Oracle,
PostgreSQL, Sybase and MS SQL Server etc. So Ignacios question is relevant.

Having said that I think a beginner can go on for quite a while
without noticing a difference. But don't be surprised if some
examples from a SQL tutorial won't work on MySQL. Notably, sub-selects
are missing. So you will have to consult the specific MySQL
documentation, but that's ok. MySQL is well documented.

On the other hand, if you want your program to run also on other
database engines without a lot of modifications, make sure that you
don't use constructs that are not in the standard. Just because something
works with MySQL doesn't mean that it will work with Oracle etc. But
if you do it right, the same code might well work with a large number
of database engines if you just change the import statement and the
connect string.

I use Martin Gruber's "SQL Instant Reference" to make sure that I'm
always kosher.


-- 
Magnus Lyckå, Thinkware AB
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