[development] Data-driven database tables and updates

[Vladimir Zlatanov]

> As mentioned, I understand the advantages of said system, but I still  
> prefer the transparency and simplicity of "raw" SQL statements.

> SQL is an abstraction layer, and one that is documented in hundreds  
> of books and articles. 
Well, all depends where do you want to draw the line. 
Raw sql allow you to define what do you want to do with the data. It
becomes a burden if at some point you want to tinker with that precise
logic. In drupal we are already doing something like that in a few
places - db_rewrite_sql being the example in core. flexinode, cck, views
do that as well. db_rewrite_sql is the most hairy example. I still
refuse to read that particular function.

We do sql templates as well, via the db_query syntax, but that may not
be enough. All of previous suggestions - arrays, function helpers, mini
languages can be employed one way or another if there is really a big
need for them - that is they really simplify the development by raising
the abstraction and the flexibility of the code, help with code reuse,
including db queries, and don't cause big performance degradation.

> I, for one, wouldn't want to learn an application specific SQL-like  
> description language.  As a developer, it would sorta turn me off,  
> and make me shout 'bloat!'.
I wouldn't either :)