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About SQL
SQL (Structured Query Language) is a language that lets you communicate with databases. For
example, you can use SQL to retrieve data from a database, add data to a database, delete or
update records in a database, change columns in multiple rows, add columns to tables, and add
and delete tables.
Using SQL to interact with a database
Unlike other computer languages, SQL is made up of a small number of language elements that
let you interact efficiently with a database. Some of the more frequently used elements include
these SQL commands:
Command
Description
SELECT
Use to retrieve (query) information in a database.
INSERT
Use to add records to a database.
UPDATE
Use to update information in a database.
DELETE
Use to delete information in a database.
In Part II of this book, you will be introduced to the syntax of these commands when you use
them to build a ColdFusion application that interacts with a database. For additional information
about SQL, consult any SQL primer.
Using SQL with ColdFusion
ColdFusion communicates with your data source through a database interface called JDBC.
JDBC is a standard application programming interface (API) for accessing information from
different database systems and different storage formats.
About data sources
A data source is a complete database configuration that uses a JDBC driver to communicate with
a specific database. In ColdFusion, you must configure a data source for each database file that
you want to use. After you configure a data source, the ColdFusion server is then capable of
communicating with that data source through the JDBC driver.
You configure data sources in ColdFusion by using the ColdFusion administrator.
"Configuring Your Development Environment," on page 37
sample data source file that is supplied for use with Part II of this book. For more information
about configuring a data source in ColdFusion, see Installing and Using ColdFusion MX or
Developing ColdFusion MX Applications.
34
Chapter 3: Database Fundamentals
Chapter 4,
discusses how to configure the
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