What is a database? Why does every single application we run into, except for maybe gateways, need one? Why are relational databases, despite over a decade of NoSQL advocacy, still reached for 80% of the time? What is querying? Joining? Referential integrity? Third normal form?

A colleague years ago who led the database design team on a contract once told me, "SQL isn't rocket science." It's not. SQL and database design is actually kind of straight forward. There are reasons we do all these things.

And with this book, you're going to find out why.