What Is SQL?

In this article, we'll discuss what SQL means, its use cases, its benefits, and what beginners need to know about this language model.

What is SQL?

SQL, which stands for a structure query language, is a standard language used to store, manipulate, and retrieve data within a relational database system.

It allows you to communicate with databases and perform tasks like creating, updating, and deleting data. Almost every big or mid-size organization uses SQL. Some of these organizations include Facebook, LinkedIn, and Microsoft.

SQL was ranked in 2021 by StackOverFlow as the most-used database framework and the third most popular programming language.

If you are a data professional like a data scientist, data analyst, or back-end developer, you need a solid understanding of how SQL works, and since all these organizations rely on big data analysis, SQL has become an in-demand skill to learn.

A Brief History of SQL (Key Takeaways)

• In 1970, Dr. Edgard Codd published a research paper on the relational data model for large shared data banks.

• In 1973, IBM researchers, Donald Chamberlain and Raymond Boyce embarked on developing a programming language, which was previously called Structured English Query Language (SEQUEL).

• In 1974, both of them developed a SQL-based relational database management system and called it Relational Software Inc., which was inspired by Codd’s research papers.

• In 1979, IBM released the first commercially available SQL database system.
• 1986: It is standardized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

What Are Databases?

Databases are collections of structured data that are stored and accessed electronically, making it easy for firms and organizations to extract, update, and analyze internal data using SQL or any similar languages.

Organizations use databases mainly because spreadsheets and text files are not scalable. They are only suitable for small businesses that don't collect large amounts of data but can only store a limited amount of information.

For instance, an Excel file can only store 1 million rows of data, and even slow the system performance considerably when users try to perform complex tasks. In comparison, databases can load more than 10 million rows of data in under a minute.

In addition, it allows users to perform complex tasks like data manipulation, analysis, and aggregation that simply cannot be done with a spreadsheet.

There are different types of databases used by firms to store internal data, the most popular being relational databases. Relational databases store data with predefined relationships between them and can only be accessed with SQL.

Benefits of SQL

What are the benefits of SQL? You might want to know because SQL's simple syntax and ease of use have made it a popular choice for database programming over the years. Here's what sets SQL apart from other programming languages.

1. It doesn't require coding skills

SQL doesn't require you to have coding skills like other programming languages. Instead, it functions on SQL commands that use simple keywords like "Create" and "Update",

2. SQL is portable

SQL is a portable language, easy to access, and can be used on servers, personal computers, laptops, and even mobile phones.

3. It enables rapid query processing

SQL processing such as retrieving, manipulating, or deleting data is efficient irrespective of high data volume. It accounts for quick data transfer with predefined relationships between users while maintaining data privacy.

4. Highly accessible

SQL is highly accessible and compatible with most databases like Microsoft Access, MySQL, and others. In addition, since most relational database management systems support SQL functions, developers can use them to develop applications for procedural programming.

What is SQL Used For? Top SQL Use Cases

SQL has many use cases and can be used in different sectors and industries like marketing, healthcare, and finance. In this section, we'll explain the use cases of SQL along with the types of jobs that require people to understand the language.

Sectors & Industries That Use SQL

We pick some of the main areas where SQL is used to deliver a range of different outcomes.

1. SQL Use Case 1 - Marketing

Marketing professionals often target customers and release promotions based on user data collected by the organization. This data is then stored in a large database and must be queried before these marketers can use them.

Since the marketing process is becoming increasingly demanding and data-driven, marketers must learn basic SQL skills so that they can make better decisions during promotions and targeting users.

2. SQL Use Case 2 - Finance

Companies often store financial data in databases since they are highly secured and can be queried easily. Financial experts can extract this data to make data-driven decisions. Using SQL, they can identify trends in revenue and sales in real-time.

SQL can also be used to provide decision-makers with a clear view of financial KPIs such as the company's net income and expenses.

3. SQL Use Case 3 - Healthcare

SQL is often used to manipulate and analyze patients' information stored in clinical databases. For instance, it can be used to create dashboards on user health data and generate patient reports based on inputs from medical experts.

For example, a non-profit organization can collect data related to deadly diseases that are prevalent in rural areas.

In this context, non-technical professionals can learn SQL so they can interact with clinical databases and collect the necessary information to make decisions.

How SQL is Used in Specific Jobs

Now that we understand how SQL is crucial in various industries, let's explore its importance in specific jobs.

1. SQL For Mobile and Web Development

Developers use SQL in building and creating mobile applications. When a user installs a mobile app and creates a username and password, they are automatically and immediately transmitted into a code that cannot be seen by anyone and stored securely in a database using SQL.

The same goes for when you subscribe to a newsletter or purchase something online, your data is stored in a database.

Back-end developers need to be fluent in SQL to perform data processing tasks and create a pleasant user experience.

2. SQL For Data Analytics

Data Analysts are skilled professionals who specialize in identifying trends in data to aid in the organization's decision-making. They use SQL to extract data and analyze it to make better decisions.

Note: Data Analysts are some of the most sought-after tech professionals in the world.

3. SQL For Business Analytics

Business analysts can identify areas that need improvement in an organization and then generate recommendations to strengthen business operations. They can work in different company areas such as IT or staff development, and will need to recommend changes in these divisions based on available data at their disposal.

Business analysts do not only collect data using SQL but also create interactive dashboards to present their findings.

4. SQL For Data Science

Data science is the art of extracting data and insights and SQL is the tool for this, especially in predictive modeling and analysis. SQL is crucial for:

• Data Extraction and Preprocessing: Crucial for querying and preparing data from databases, enabling filtering, sorting, and aggregation for high-quality data sets.

• Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA): Assist data scientists in understanding patterns in the database, aiding in formation and modeling approaches.

• Feature Engineering: Crucial for creating new variables from existing data to enhance model performance, utilizing SQL functions and table joining capabilities.

• Reporting and Visualization: Used for generating sets for visualization tools and reporting software, ensuring accurate and up-to-date reports.

• Scalability and Performance: Handle large data volume accurately, which is crucial for a time and resource-limited environment.

SQL Frequently Asked Questions

Is SQL a programming language?

SQL can be referred to as a programming language since it is Turing complete. In other words, a language that is Turing complete should be able to solve computer-related problems given enough time and memory.

However, unlike programming languages like Python and Java, SQL can only interact with databases. It can't be used to visualize data, read files, or build applications.

Can SQL be used to build Machine Learning Models?

SQL can be used to build Machine Learning Models. Users can use the Google Cloud Platform to run SQL queries in Google BigQuery.

Google BigQuery is a serverless data platform used by large or mid-size organizations to store and manage large data. Data in BigQuery is stored in the form of structural, relational databases.

Is SQL easy to learn?

SQL is one of the easiest-to-learn programming languages, given its simple syntax, user-friendly interface, and name-dependent functions.

How can I write an SQL query?

A simple SQL query should start with a select statement, followed by the field names you want to display and the selection criteria.

What is the difference between SQL and MySQL?

One is a programming language while the other is database software. SQL is a programming language to query a database while MySQL is an open-source software that allows users to keep the data organized.