PERL,INGRES,PROGRAMMING

  ggsql is a novel data visualization tool that integrates the Grammar of Graphics directly into SQL environments. Built by the creators of ggplot2, this system allows users to construct complex charts by adding declarative clauses like VISUALISE, DRAW, and SCALE to standard database queries. Unlike traditional tools that offer fixed chart types, ggsql employs a modular approach where independent components—such as layers, coordinates, and aesthetics can be combined to create custom visuals. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/84-database/18862-ggsql-sql-for-visualization-.html

  SQL, yes that old horse, is still going. SQL has been the data access standard for decades. It levels the playing field, easily integrates with other systems and accelerates delivery. Here's a  beginner-friendly course on SQL for data engineering. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/150-training-a-education/18703-learn-sql-for-data-engineering-the-course.html

  LiteCLI, a very handy SQLite client for the CLI diehards, is upgraded by getting a LLM feature that helps you write SQL. We first encountered LiteCLI back in early 2019, where we found that despite as an app lacking a GUI frontend, was agile and feature rich with functionality like: https://www.i-programmer.info/news/84-database/18048-litecli-sqlite-client-is-now-powered-by-llm.html

  Introducing sqlpremierleague ,   another sql playground, but with puzzles specific to sports. Learn SQL as a beginner or hone your SQL as an experienced  developer by working on real datasets from sport competitions. These include the English Premier League, the IPL, the NBA, the NFL, Formula 1, UCL, and two dedicated to L.Messi and C.Ronaldo. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/84-database/18011-hone-your-sql-skills-with-the-premier-league.html#google_vignette

  By using the expressiveness of the SQL language, TailPipe makes querying log files as easy as doing "select * from logs;". In  Steampipe - SQL For Everything  we discovered a tool that renders SQL as the main query language for more than purely databases, cloud infrastructure included. Steampipe's underlying notion is that SQL has been the data access standard for decades, it levels the playing field, easily integrates with other systems and accelerates delivery. So why not leverage it for things other than the database, like querying APIs and Cloud services? Tailpipe follows along the same lines, this time by enabling SQL to query log files.  https://www.i-programmer.info/news/90-tools/17992-tailpipe-the-log-interrogation-game-changer.html

  MotherDuck, DuckDB's makers, having listened to its users, has released a local GUI for easier interaction with the database. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/84-database/17935-interact-with-duckdb-using-local-ui.html

  Or "Use SQL For Everything Part 2". Like the previously covered Steampipe tool, Stackql enables the use of SQL for querying everything too, but with a twist. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/84-database/17885-stackql-the-new-approach-to-querying-and-provisioning-cloud-services-.html

  Steampipe renders SQL as the main query language for more than purely databases, Cloud infrastructure included. Let's find out how. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/84-database/17864-streampipe-sql-for-everything.html

  We revist a course that aims to take you from basic to advanced SQL skills using PostgreSQL, the highly popular open source SQL database. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/150-training-a-education/17848-postgresql-for-everybody-revisited.html

  ChartDB is an open-source database diagrams editor that can be self-hosted or used in the Cloud, for free. At IProgrammer we're very fond of utilities that make the developer's life just that little bit easier, especially on the database front. In the past we had covered a few such cool tools like Prisma Markdown which can automatically generate ERDs, ERDLab, an intuitive SQL Visualization tool which helps in capturing your database design thoughts and Azimutt, a database schema explorer with many great features. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/90-tools/17852-database-diagramming-with-chartdb.html

  Squid Game is a free challenge inspired by the popular Netflix series with the same name. Instead of engaging in bloodthirsty games, you progress to the next level by solving SQL puzzles. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/204-challenges/17846-can-you-win-the-sql-squid-game.html

  It's Advent - the time of year when we countdown the days to Christmas - and if your are a programmer complete daily coding challenges with the Advent of Code, the Advent of Perl, the Advent of Java, Javascriptmas, etc. Now we have the Advent of SQL too with 24 SQL challenges to complete before Christmas! https://www.i-programmer.info/news/204-challenges/17678-the-advent-of-sql-2024-has-commenced.html

  This is thanks to sqlite-vec, a new vector search extension for SQLite written entirely in C and with no dependencies. Vendors are eager to add vector search to their dbms products. One prominent example is Postgres with pg_vector which we covered in "Turn PostgreSQL Into A Vector Store" and more recently Mariadb as examined in "MariaDB Introduces Vector Search". This begs the question of what's the rush for adding vetor support? https://www.i-programmer.info/news/84-database/17458-sqlite-gets-into-vector-search.html

  Snowflake has added support for the Iceberg table format and subsequently became able to work with data commonly found in data lakes and warehouses. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/84-database/17441-snowflake-support-for-apache-iceberg-goes-ga.html

  Oracle is getting into the coding assistants game. The aptly named "Oracle Code Assist" is going to be optimized for Java, SQL, and Oracle Cloud-based applications. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/80-java/17285-let-oracles-coding-assistant-do-the-grunt-work.html

  There's a self-paced. YouTube-based course by Mycelial on the ins and outs of SQLite. It's short, succinct and free and a must watch for anybody wanting to get started with  SQLite. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/84-database/17251-the-mycelial-sqlite-for-beginners-course-.html#google_vignette

  The Empire strikes back with the most advanced  Oracle version to date. The focus of this new version is surprise, surprise, AI , which is so embedded into the new product that Oracle found prudent to change its name from 23c to 23ai to make the point. Let's find out what's on offer. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/84-database/17215-oracle-database-23ai-feel-the-difference.html

  Select AI is a new feature of the Oracle Autonomous Database that transforms your mother language to SQL. This is a big boon for non-developers in extracting value out of their data silos. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/84-database/17132-query-your-oracle-autonomous-database-with-natural-language.html

  SQLPage is a fun and innovative open source project that lets you do the presentation layer in plain SQL. With SQLPage your SQL skills reach beyond manipulating the Data layer of your application; you can now do HTML too without needing to know any of the traditional web programming languages and concepts. The difference is that your SQL includes and refers to UI components as columns. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/87-web-development/16545-you-can-now-code-websites-with-sql.html

  An   SDK   for Apache Spark has been released that takes English instructions and compiles them into   PySpark   objects, making Spark more user-friendly and accessible. https://www.i-programmer.info/news/105-artificial-intelligence/16438-apache-spark-now-understands-english.html