Background to T-SQL querying and programming
Learning the theory behind T-SQL querying and programming is an important step in developing code. In this chapter from T-SQL Fundamentals, 3rd Edition , Itzik Ben-Gan provides a brief theoretical background about SQL, set theory and predicate logic, the relational model, and types of database systems.
You’re about to embark on a journey to a land that is like no other—a land that has its own set of laws. If reading this book is your first step in learning Transact-SQL (T-SQL), you should feel like Alice—just before she started her adventures in Wonderland. For me, the journey has not ended; instead, it’s an ongoing path filled with new discoveries. I envy you; some of the most exciting discoveries are still ahead of you!
I’ve been involved with T-SQL for many years: teaching, speaking, writing, and consulting about it. For me, T-SQL is more than just a language—it’s a way of thinking. In my first few books about T-SQL, I’ve written extensively on advanced topics, and for years, I have postponed writing about fundamentals. This is not because T-SQL fundamentals are simple or easy—in fact, it’s just the opposite. The apparent simplicity of the language is misleading. I could explain the language syntax elements in a superficial manner and have you writing queries within minutes. But that approach would only hold you back in the long run and make it harder for you to understand the essence of the language.
Acting as your guide while you take your first steps in this realm is a big responsibility. I wanted to make sure that I spent enough time and effort exploring and understanding the language before writing about fundamentals. T-SQL is deep; learning the fundamentals the right way involves much more than just understanding the syntax elements and coding a query that returns the right output. You pretty much need to forget what you know about other programming languages and start thinking in terms of T-SQL.