Chapter 20. The Design of SQL

SQL lies at the heart of most information systems today. The main objective of SQL is to find the correct information for you. It relies on other software to present that information to you in a polished manner. A variety of software can provide that polish.

SQL is often used with software that can produce forms and reports. A form displays one record at a time. Data in a single row can be entered, viewed, changed, or deleted. Most people find this easier than entering SQL commands.

A report displays many records. It is always based on a query. It cleans up the result table; puts in page numbers, column headings, and totals; and adds other elements that make the report easier to read.

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