Re: [development] Extend database abstraction layer, to include table creation.
On Sat, 13 May 2006 22:27:14 +1000, "Jeremy Epstein" <jazepstein@gmail.com> wrote :
IMO, learning the DDL specifics of two different database systems is more of a barrier for new developers, than learning a simple abstraction layer ever could be. I can't speak for all developers, but personally, I've always been much more familiar with MySQL, and I've been scared and uneducated about the details of pgSQL for quite some time. I've been developing with Drupal for over a year, but only recently have I taken the time to dig a little deeper (just a little) into pgSQL - just enough to make my modules compatible with it.
For the most part the DDL is not much different no matter what db you are using thanks to the SQL specifications being a standard just like HTML is a standard.
Most Drupal developers are only really comfortable with one system (out of MySQL and pgSQL - with the majority being on the MySQL side). Why should we have to learn another one, when a few simple extra functions in core could eliminate that learning barrier for us? This reason, combined with the other advantages of an improved abstraction layer (i.e. less duplicated SQL code, less maintenance, less chance of bugs), makes the choice a no-brainer (IMO).
Again, you aren't learning mysql or pgsql you are learning sql a standard syntax that is pretty much portable across databases. Pat
That's the problem, standards aren't kept by all databases and features are added. this leaves us implementing a subset of features or using the abstration layer to implement differing features on different databases. I quick example is auto increment in mysql and sequence in pgsql. On 13 May 2006 17:17:05 -0400, Pat Collins <pat@linuxcolumbus.com> wrote:
On Sat, 13 May 2006 22:27:14 +1000, "Jeremy Epstein" <jazepstein@gmail.com
wrote :
IMO, learning the DDL specifics of two different database systems is more of a barrier for new developers, than learning a simple abstraction layer ever could be. I can't speak for all developers, but personally, I've always been much more familiar with MySQL, and I've been scared and uneducated about the details of pgSQL for quite some time. I've been developing with Drupal for over a year, but only recently have I taken the time to dig a little deeper (just a little) into pgSQL - just enough to make my modules compatible with it.
For the most part the DDL is not much different no matter what db you are using thanks to the SQL specifications being a standard just like HTML is a standard.
Most Drupal developers are only really comfortable with one system (out of MySQL and pgSQL - with the majority being on the MySQL side). Why should we have to learn another one, when a few simple extra functions in core could eliminate that learning barrier for us? This reason, combined with the other advantages of an improved abstraction layer (i.e. less duplicated SQL code, less maintenance, less chance of bugs), makes the choice a no-brainer (IMO).
Again, you aren't learning mysql or pgsql you are learning sql a standard syntax that is pretty much portable across databases.
Pat
participants (2)
-
James Gilliland -
Pat Collins