Structured Query Language

Microsoft SQL Server 2022 is designed to be highly compliant with the ANSI SQL standard, ensuring broad compatibility and adherence to established SQL conventions. However, like many database systems, it extends beyond the standard by incorporating proprietary features and functions through Transact-SQL (T-SQL), Microsoft's extension of SQL. T-SQL includes procedural programming capabilities, local variables, and additional support functions for string processing, date processing, and mathematics, which are not part of the ANSI standard. While SQL Server 2022 maintains strong compliance with ANSI SQL, certain features and behaviors may differ from the standard due to these extensions. For instance, SQL Server enforces strict adherence to the GROUP BY clause, requiring all non-aggregated columns in the SELECT clause to be part of the ROUP BY clause, which helps avoid ambiguities and ensures consistent results. It's important to note that while SQL Server 2022 offers robust ANSI compliance, the specific version or level of ANSI SQL it adheres to is not explicitly stated. Therefore, when developing applications or writing queries, it's advisable to consult the official SQL Server documentation to understand any deviations or extensions beyond the ANSI SQL standard.
Structured Query Language (SQL) is used to query, modify, and control data in a relational database system. IBM first developed SQL in the 1970s and many versions of SQL exist today. Some of the more common relational database management systems that use SQL are Microsoft SQL server, Sybase, and Oracle. SQL statements allow your applications to programmatically retrieve^[1] data in a database. The query is the fundamental concept of SQL. A query is simply a request for information from a database. While a query can get all the information in a database, it is frequently structured to request only records that meet a certain criteria. Queries can be applied to a single database table as well as multiple tables.
In addition to retrieving data, you can use SQL statements to update, insert, and delete records. Although it can be used on a single stand-alone machine, SQL is most commonly used in a client/server architecture. The client submits a request for data to the server. The server processes the request and returns results, if any, to the client. Also note that in this model there can be more than one server handling requests.

You will begin to get first-hand experience using SQL statements in the next Module.
The link below gives a mapping of database technologies.

The table below display mappings of Database technologies.

ODBC:	Uses vendor-specific drivers to provide a standard interface to the database system
SQL:	Used to query and modify data in a relational database
Middleware:	Software that enables communication between the application and the database
OLE DB:	Uses data consumers and data providers to access relational and non-relational databases

A vast variety of services around the world are accessible by users anywhere at any point of time. This increases the amount of processed data in a very short period of time.
Bus route finder applications for Smartphones are overwhelmed by data-traffic as the number of Smartphone users rise. In addition, the rapidly evolving Web service technologies challenge the traditional theories and approaches to databases. Overall efficiency and flexibility have become more crucial than the individual process results between a transaction and a record, as these days it is not just a couple of DB servers that access the SAN storage. Many argue that the traditional database theories and the current RDBMS are inappropriate for handling large-scale data (more commonly known as big data).
In the next lesson, you will learn how to set up the data environment.

[1] programmatically retrieve: This means to use a programming logic and code to get data from a data source.