All databases are queried using "queries." And believe it or not, virtually every modern website has a database behind it. Long gone are the days when websites were built with pure HTML in Dreamweaver. We are now in the era of the king: WordPress — the program that dominates website creation worldwide. And as you might imagine, WordPress and the 300+ programs you can install from Softaculous all use databases to function properly.
Of course, when you query a database, you need to do it in the right way. For this purpose, a database query language called SQL was created. SQL stands for "Structured Query Language." You have probably seen the SQL acronym very often, as it is included in the names of two of the most well-known databases: MySQL and SQL Server.
But not only these two major databases use SQL. From the most important database, Oracle, to newer projects like MariaDB or PostgreSQL, SQL is used universally.
How does an SQL query to a database work?
The first useful thing to know is that there are different types of queries. The most important types are:
- Data searches (SELECT): Essential for making the most of your data. The ability to search through data in a database is impressive. This type is known as a SELECT query.
- Data updates (UPDATE): Allows you to modify data that already exists in a database. Known as UPDATE queries.
- Adding data (INSERT INTO): Logically, for a database to be useful, you need to add the data that will later be queried. These queries are called INSERT INTO.
- Deleting data (DELETE): Also known as DELETE queries.
These four queries form the foundation of the SQL language, and all modern websites are built using them.
Does this mean I need to learn SQL to build my website?
Not really — unless your goal is to become a web developer. If you want to design websites, tools like WordPress, Joomla, PrestaShop, and other applications already handle SQL for you. You do not need to worry about that level of detail when creating a website.
Can I make use of SQL even if I am not an expert?
Absolutely. SQL is a very easy language to learn, with thousands of examples available online. As soon as you have a database with thousands of rows, SQL will become your best ally for extracting any type of information you need from that database.
With your hosting service at Bacan, you have phpMyAdmin available, from which you can run queries and view the tables in your databases. But be careful — if you do not have much experience, make sure to create a backup before using INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE queries, as these could completely destroy your database.
Thinking about building your own website?
Then try our service. You can start completely free, and you will also have the assistance of our database experts to answer any questions that come up.