CST363 - Week 3

1. What is an SQL view.  How is it similar to a table? In what ways is it different (think about primary keys,  insert, update, delete operations) ?

An SQL view is a virtual table created using a SQL query. It does not store data on its own but presents data retrieved from one or more tables. Views are used to simplify complex queries provide a consistent way to represent data. For example, instead of letting users query the entire table, a view can be created to show only specific columns or apply constraints to filter the data.

Views are similar to tables because they have rows and columns and can be queried with SELECT statements. However, they are different because views do not have primary keys or store data permanently. This means operations like INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE might not work on views directly, especially if they involve multiple tables or calculations. 

 

2.  Comparing SQL and Java

SQL and Java are different languages, but they have some similarities. Both languages can use logic to control what happens in a program. In SQL, the WHERE clause filters data based on conditions, which is similar to how Java’s if statements work to control the flow of a program. Both SQL and Java also allow you to organize data—SQL uses GROUP BY to group data in a query, and Java uses collections like arrays or lists to organize information in a program.

However, there are more differences between SQL and Java. SQL is mainly used for managing and querying data in databases, while Java is a general-purpose language used to build all kinds of applications. Java has more complex features, like loops and object-oriented programming, which SQL doesn’t have. SQL focuses on what data to retrieve or change, while Java focuses on how to do tasks step by step. These differences show how SQL is specialized for working with data, while Java is better for creating full applications.