Advantages and Disadvantages of SQL

Structural Query Language (SQL) is a powerful and widely used programming language designed for managing and manipulating relational databases. It was first developed in the 1970s by IBM researchers, and has since become a standard language for managing and querying databases across various platforms and industries. It users to perform complex operations such as querying, inserting, updating, and deleting data in a database. Its simple and user-friendly syntax allows even non-technical users to interact with databases and retrieve data without having to write lengthy lines of code.

SQL also provides a standardized way of communicating with databases, ensuring that data is consistent and uniform across different systems. Its popularity and versatility have made it a must-have skill for data professionals and developers, as it is used extensively in various applications such as web development, data analytics, business intelligence, and more.

Why Do We Need SQL

SQL plays a vital role in almost every data-related field. Here’s why it’s so essential:

• Business Intelligence Tools: SQL is the backbone of many BI tools that help companies make informed decisions.
• Data Manipulation & Testing: Essential for cleaning, testing, and transforming data in structured formats.
• Data Science & Big Data: Tools like Spark and Impala heavily rely on SQL-like queries to process massive datasets.
• In-Demand Skill: SQL is a must-have skill for data professionals, developers, and analysts in today's job market.

Advantages of SQL

Some advantages of SQL are as follows: 

• Faster Query Processing: Large amount of data is retrieved quickly and efficiently. Operations like Insertion, deletion, manipulation of data is also done in almost no time.
• No Coding Skills: For data retrieval, large number of lines of code is not required. All basic keywords such as SELECT, INSERT INTO, UPDATE are used and also the syntactical rules are not complex in SQL, which makes it a user-friendly language.
• Standardized Language: Due to documentation and long establishment over years, it provides a uniform platform worldwide to all its users.
• Portable: It can be used in programs in PCs, server, laptops independent of any platform. Also, it can be embedded with other applications as per need/requirement/use.
• Interactive Language: Easy to learn and understand, answers to complex queries can be received in seconds.
• Multiple data views: One of the advantages of SQL is its ability to provide multiple data views . This means that SQL allows users to create different views or perspectives of the data stored in a database, depending on their needs and permissions.
• Scalability: SQL databases can handle large volumes of data and can be scaled up or down as per the requirements of the application.
• Security: SQL databases have built-in security features that help protect data from unauthorized access, such as user authentication, encryption, and access control.
• Data Integrity: SQL databases enforce data integrity by enforcing constraints such as unique keys, primary keys, and foreign keys, which help prevent data duplication and maintain data accuracy.
• Backup and Recovery: SQL databases have built-in backup and recovery tools that help recover data in case of system failures, crashes, or other disasters.
• Data Consistency: SQL databases ensure consistency of data across multiple tables through the use of transactions, which ensure that changes made to one table are reflected in all related tables.

Disadvantages of SQL

Various Disadvantages of SQL are as follows: 

• Complex Interface : SQL has a difficult interface that makes few users uncomfortable while dealing with the database.
• Cost : Some versions are costly and hence, programmers cannot access it.
• Partial Control : Due to hidden business rules, complete control is not given to the database.
• Limited Flexibility: SQL databases are less flexible than NoSQL databases when it comes to handling unstructured or semi-structured data, as they require data to be structured into tables and columns.
• Lack of Real-Time Analytics: SQL databases are designed for batch processing and do not support real-time analytics, which can be a disadvantage for applications that require real-time data processing.
• Limited Query Performance: SQL databases may have limited query performance when dealing with large datasets, as queries may take longer to process than in-memory databases.
• Complexity: SQL databases can be complex to set up and manage, requiring skilled database administrators to ensure optimal performance and maintain data integrity.

Applications of SQL

SQL is everywhere. Some of the common uses include:

• Writing Data Integration Scripts used by developers and database admins.
• Running Analytical Queries to extract insights from large datasets.
• Retrieving Information from multiple tables and databases.
• Modifying and Managing Data, including inserting, deleting, and updating records.

For more information about SQL and commands you can refer to - SQL