Appendix B. Introduction to SQL

Structured Query Language (SQL) was invented by IBM in the 1970s in support of relational databases. SQL allows users to retrieve data by expressing what they are looking for without having to indicate how to get to it. The SQL database engine is treated as a black box that figures out how to retrieve data the fastest. SQL has become the de-facto database language, with thousands of IT professionals using it worldwide.

In this Big Data era, surprisingly SQL has not lost its popularity. Recognizing that sharp learning curves to learn new Big Data languages and programming paradigms is an inhibitor to technology adoption, several companies have worked to develop SQL dialects so that programmers can use their beloved ...

Get DB2 Essentials: Understanding DB2 in a Big Data World, Third Edition now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.