SQL vs MySQL

SQL and MySQL — language versus product

SQL is declarative: you state what you want and the DBMS plans execution. The standard covers SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, CREATE, and JOIN.

MySQL is a concrete DBMS — server, InnoDB, tools. MariaDB is a fork with nearly identical hotel_db syntax. In hotel_db reception, finance, and housekeeping share gosti, sobe, rezervacije, placanja, and zaposleni — every change must stay consistent for all app modules.

In depth

SQL is grammar, MySQL is one implementation. Learn on hotel_db — then move to PostgreSQL easily. In Workbench run the sample SQL on test data before production, check EXPLAIN as tables grow, and document expected results for teammates.

Key points

• SQL = standard. — hotel_db example.
• MySQL = product. — hotel_db example.
• MariaDB is compatible. — hotel_db example.
• JOIN and WHERE portable. — hotel_db example.
• Course uses MySQL 8. — hotel_db example.

Practical example

MySQL server version.

SELECT VERSION();

Common mistake

MySQL-only functions without portability checks. Typical fallout: mismatched reception vs finance data, lost reservations, or blocked check-ins at peak season — always backup before production DDL/DML.

Summary

SQL survives job changes; MySQL is today's tool. Practice again on hotel_db until you can explain every result row and tie it to hotel workflows (check-in, billing, reporting).

Note: Tip: keep versioned .sql scripts (hotel_schema.sql, seed.sql) in Git — reproducibility matters when several people work on the same hotel_db model.