Overview

SQL is a language that interacts with the database on the server-side. This dynamite duo has changed the structure of the internet forever. Sure, programming languages like PHP, ASP, and ColdFusion made the internet dynamic, but the efficiency of SQL has revolutionized how user’s interact with websites. Get on Facebook, post a status saying “I love AfterHoursProgramming.com!!!” and you just found yourself indirectly using SQL. Any good website that permits users to provide content to that site should use SQL. We have client-side languages and server-side languages, but where is SQL?

Is SQL a Database?

No! I know it is somewhat complicated, but SQL just talks to a database and tells it what to do and exactly what it needs. Think of how PHP, ASP, or ColdFusion interact with files. SQL is just like that, but it was created for that very purpose unlike the other languages mentioned. SQL is much smaller and faster than them also. It has the power to index and to make itself faster. It can handle large amounts of data and you can organize the data into specific tables, columns, and rows.

This will be an introduction to SQL and will not cover everything about SQL, but we will get some solid knowledge on how to work with it and learn how to become a query master.. However, you don’t need to be crazy advanced to utilize the majority of SQL’s power. Let’s get to it.