| The explosive growth of the information technology industry and the constantly
growing need to compile, store, access, and manipulate increasingly larger masses
of data have required the development of ever more sophisticated database
management tools.
Since its first incarnation in the 1970s, Structured Query Language (SQL) has been
developed hand in hand with the information boom, and as a result, is the most
widely used database manipulation language in business and industry. A number
of different software companies and program developers, including those in the
open source movement, have concurrently developed their own SQL dialects in
response to specific needs. All the while, standards bodies have developed a
growing list of common features.
SQL in a Nutshell identifies the differences between the various vendor implementations
of SQL. Readers will find a concise explanation of the Relational Database
Management System (RDBMS) model, a clear-cut explanation of foundational
RDBMS concepts, and thorough coverage of basic SQL syntax and commands.
Most importantly, programmers and developers who use SQL in a Nutshell will
find a concise guide both to the most popular commercial database packages on
the market (Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle8i), and to two of the best known
open source (http://www.opensource.org) database products (MySQL and
PostgreSQL). SQL in a Nutshell’s attention to open source SQL products is an affirmation
of the growing importance of the open source movement within the
computing community.
As a result, SQL in a Nutshell benefits several distinct groups of users: the knowledgeable
programmer who requires a concise and handy reference tool, the
developer who needs to migrate from one SQL dialect to another, and the user
who comes to SQL from another programming language and wants to learn the
basics of SQL programming. |
