SQL is language for interacting with databases. Basically a document describing the grammar of the language. Most database engines, the programs which actually maintains and provides read/write access to the underlying database, will allow clients to access the database via SQL. For example, if I have a connection to a database I can send it the following SQL query:
select FirstName, LastName from contacts where state='NY'
which will return a result set containing the first and last name of all my contacts who live in NY.
Microsoft's database engine is called SQL Server. While database engines usually run on server class machines, they can be run on just about any type of device, even your phone, as long as the appropriate resources are available.
SQL is an acronym for Structured Query Language. It is a commonly-used querying language across numerous transactional databases, although each database has their own syntax or "flavor" of SQL. Some are more powerful or complex than others, and all are custom tuned to whatever database they support. As an example:
MS Access = Jet SQL
MS SQL Server = Transact-SQL
Oracle = PL/SQL
and so on
Thanks.it was long ago, I forgot that they may have purchases a smaller company's product and used it to develop a consumer product for the Office Suite..
And I wasn't all that aware of administrative (higher order) products such as server applications back then...
I thought SQL meant structured query language?
Wouldn't that make the server just the device it runs on? ;)
SQL is language for interacting with databases. Basically a document describing the grammar of the language. Most database engines, the programs which actually maintains and provides read/write access to the underlying database, will allow clients to access the database via SQL. For example, if I have a connection to a database I can send it the following SQL query:
which will return a result set containing the first and last name of all my contacts who live in NY.
Microsoft's database engine is called SQL Server. While database engines usually run on server class machines, they can be run on just about any type of device, even your phone, as long as the appropriate resources are available.
For those who are unsure what a "database" even is - it's a special computer storage area where you can lose all your data in a structured manner.
isn't SQL the foundation of Microsoft Access (from waaay back) that predates the Microsoft SQL Sever product doesn't it?
SQL is an acronym for Structured Query Language. It is a commonly-used querying language across numerous transactional databases, although each database has their own syntax or "flavor" of SQL. Some are more powerful or complex than others, and all are custom tuned to whatever database they support. As an example:
MS Access = Jet SQL MS SQL Server = Transact-SQL Oracle = PL/SQL and so on
Thanks.it was long ago, I forgot that they may have purchases a smaller company's product and used it to develop a consumer product for the Office Suite..
And I wasn't all that aware of administrative (higher order) products such as server applications back then...
Yep, you are correct. Although it didn't really become popular until SQL Server 7 (in the 97/98 timeframe, IIRC).