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Why you should learn SQL

executeprogram.com

11–20 of 137 posts

Re: Why you should learn SQL

#12

SQL is an important skill to have, in particular one should learn about database normalization and the normal forms - very important stuff!

And even if you don't want to normalize, at least don't make the DB basically incomprehensible.

Speaking from experience, a "abnormalized" db sucks. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27842820

Re: Why you should learn SQL

#13
post #3

I've built a desktop app that enables you to load CSV files and perform SQL on the CSVs. I imagine it would be handy for anyone who starts learning SQL because you don't need to setup the database or use command-line. If you are interested, please try it out: https://superintendent.app

It's nice. Windows only? (I mostly use a Mac at home).

EDIT: no, it's Win/Mac/Linux, apologies...

Re: Why you should learn SQL

#15
I am using spring hibernate. It's so powerful. I don't need to write and understand SQL anymore. Sarcasm off: I see more and more juniors without SQL skills. Various reasons they give me. From the nosql plague to some cloud solutions to the above example. SQL seems to be not so fun anymore. I have a hard time understanding that. Since data storage is such a fundamental part of your application. I would even argue that the data structure to some degree influences the application architecture. Specifically if you need performance and security.

Re: Why you should learn SQL

#16
At times it might make sense not to use SQL. That is fine. But I think there is a value in learning SQL. Some reasons:

* Learning effort to Reward ratio is good. A substantial syntax is valid for all of the DBs that support SQL.

* Very easy to remember the syntax. I have not used SQL in a long time but I can still write one without much effort (including the nested queries)

* Pareto: About 70-80% of data retrieval use-cases are well covered in SQL syntax (or a combination of multiple queries like union, creating temp table, etc)

* Tooling: Free & commercial tools which connect to multiple data-sources and provide SQL e.g [1]

[1] https://www.jetbrains.com/datagrip/ (I am not associated with jetbrains)

Re: Why you should learn SQL

#17

SQL is going to eventually die because of its three-pronged relationship model that implies query-time complexity. Learn it if you want, but especially backend and analytics people would be better off learning Gremlin or Cypher. Edit: downvoting this is not going to make it untrue.

For everyone (like, for example, me) who has never heard these two names before (or not as replacements for SQL at least...) maybe the following might be useful:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/13824962/neo4j-cypher-vs...

Re: Why you should learn SQL

#18

SQL is an important skill to have, in particular one should learn about database normalization and the normal forms - very important stuff!

All of it is completely irrelevant unnecessary complexity. Learn to use Tinkerpop.

Curious that 99.99% of applications use an SQL database, must just be a lot of really bad developers. Am I so out of touch? No, no, it’s the children who are wrong.

Re: Why you should learn SQL

#20

SQL is an important skill to have, in particular one should learn about database normalization and the normal forms - very important stuff!

And even if you don't want to normalize, at least don't make the DB basically incomprehensible. Speaking from experience, a "abnormalized" db sucks. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27842820

Yeah one should know why it’s important to normalize, and then when they go a different path, it is done consciously and not because they are inexperienced and didn’t really know any better.

Folks out there who don’t want to learn the ins and outs of database theory - please don’t; read up on it, it’s a very important skill & knowledge to have and doesn’t take long to master. It does take a few days, perhaps weeks, for all the ideas to “click” in your head.

Whilst we having many fads in IT, there are certain sound principles of computer science developed over 40-50 years which one should learn :-) Know the rules before you break them!

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