Ray Ontko & Co.

Free SQL

This page is devoted to the collection of information about free SQL databases, tools, and utility software. If you know of a site that has free SQL-related software (with source code) and think it should be added, please let me know. Also, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Special Interest Group on Management of Data (SIGMOD) maintains a list of publicly available database software.

SQL

Structured Query Language (SQL) is a language for interacting with a relational database. The language definition includes constructs for specifying queries (SELECTs), data manipulations (INSERTs, UPDATEs, and DELETEs), and data definitions (CREATE TABLE), and other aspects of manipulating data in and retreiving data from a relational database. It is used by a number of database management systems as the primary access language.

Postgres SQL

PostgreSQL Home Page

MySQL

MySQL is a basically free SQL database, with some limitations on commercial distribution. It is produced by TcX DataKonsult AB of Sweden.

mSQL

mSQL or Mini-SQL is a lightweight (small and fast) SQL engine which supports much of ANSI SQL, enough to build serious applications. It is distributed with source code and may be used for a fee in commercial applications. Lots of contributed add-ons also available (see FAQ).

[I'm thinking of discontinuing this listing, as the softare is now a commercial product. If anyone knows of another SQL database with source that does not require license fees, let me know.-Ray]

Firebird

A full strength relational database management system. Being the successor of a formerly commercial product, it is reliable, powerful, and now free with full source code available and a very active community behind it which is further developing it.
Link contributed by Frank Emser (FrankEmser@gms.de)

oratcl

Oracle extensions to tcl/TK

sybtcl

Sybase extensions to tcl/TK

Perl

Perl is not a SQL utility per se, but is often used to develop applications that access SQL databases. It can be used with DBI (The Database Interface) and DBD (The Database Drivers) to provide access to a number of databases (see below). Other variants include msqlperl (for m-SQL), oraperl (for Oracle), and ingperl (for Ingres).

DBI The Database Interface

The Database Interface (DBI) is a thin layer of code designed to allow as perl to interact with databases (such as oracle, sybase, ingres, msql, etc.) using a standardized interface. DBI is designed to work with individual drivers which conform to The Database Driver (DBD) standard.

DBD The Database Drivers

The Database Drivers (DBD) provide a standardized interface to a particular database. For example, DBD::Oracle provides a standard, callable interface to the Oracle database. DBD is often used with DBI to provide database independent access from perl. Ray Ontko rayo@ontko.com

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