SQL: A brief history of the most well-known database language
How SQL revolutionized the way we store and manipulate data.
Introduction
SQL (Structured Query Language) is one of the oldest and most powerful languages used to interact with databases. But how did it come to be?
The brth of SQL: 1970s
SQL was created in the 1970s at IBM as part of the System R project, which was an effort to build a new kind of database management system. At the time, databases were often accessed through complex machine languages, which weren’t exactly user-friendly. The idea behind SQL was to make it easier for people to interact with databases by allowing them to query data using a more natural, English-like syntax. This was revolutionary, as it gave non-technical users a way to interact with and manipulate data in a more intuitive way.
The first implementation: SEQUEL
Initially, SQL was called SEQUEL (Structured English Query Language), designed to emphasize the English-like structure of the language. However, due to trademark issues, the name was shortened to SQL. The first formal specification of SQL was published by IBM in 1974, and it soon gained attention in the tech world for its simplicity and power.
Standardization: 1980s
In the 1980s, SQL’s potential was realized on a broader scale. In 1986, ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and ISO (International Organization for Standardization) officially recognized SQL as the standard language for database management systems. This marked a major milestone, and it helped SQL gain dominance across the database industry. As relational databases grew in popularity, SQL became the go-to language for querying and managing data.
Modern day
Today, SQL is still the foundation of modern database management systems, including popular ones like MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, and Microsoft SQL Server. Even as new technologies like NoSQL databases have emerged, SQL remains the dominant force when it comes to managing structured data. It continues to evolve, adapting to modern use cases such as big data, cloud computing, and data science, while still retaining its core principles of simplicity and efficiency.
Some facts:
You might not know this, but SQL is one of the oldest programming languages still actively in use today - over 50 years old! In fact, its principles have influenced the development of countless other query languages and systems over the decades.
As we close out the year, I thought it’d be fun to share a little history lesson about SQL. It’s amazing to think about how something so foundational to modern data analysis and management has been around for so long.