Query languages are computer languages used to make queries into databases and information

systems.
Broadly, query languages can be classified according to whether they are database query
languages or information retrieval query languages. The difference is that a database query
language attempts to give factual answers to factual questions, while an information retrieval
query language attempts to find documents containing information that is relevant to an area of
inquiry.
a language for the specification of procedures for the retrieval (and sometimes also
modification) of information from a database.

SQL

Stands for "Structured Query Language," and can be pronounced as either "sequel" or "S-Q-L."
It is a query language used for accessing and modifying information in a database. Some
common SQL commands include "insert," "update," and "delete." The language was first created
by IBM in 1975 and was called SEQUEL for "Structured English Query Language." Since then,
it has undergone a number of changes, many coming from Oracle products.
Today, SQL is commonly used for Web database development and management. Though SQL is
now considered to be a standard language, there are still a number of variations of it, such as
mSQL and mySQL. By using a scripting language like PHP, SQL commands can be executed
when a Web page loads. This makes it possible to create dynamic Web pages that can display
different information each time they load.
The Main Features of MySQL

This section describes some of the important characteristics of the MySQL Database Software.
See also Section 1.5, MySQL Development History. In most respects, the roadmap applies to
all versions of MySQL. For information about features as they are introduced into MySQL on a
series-specific basis, see the In a Nutshell section of the appropriate Manual:

MySQL 5.6: MySQL 5.6 in a Nutshell

MySQL 5.5: MySQL 5.5 in a Nutshell

MySQL 5.1: MySQL 5.1 in a Nutshell

MySQL 5.0: MySQL 5.0 in a Nutshell

Internals and Portability

Written in C and C++.

Tested with a broad range of different compilers.

Works on many different platforms. See

http://www.mysql.com/support/supportedplatforms/database.html.

For portability, uses CMake in MySQL 5.5 and up. Previous series use GNU Automake,
Autoconf, and Libtool.

Tested with Purify (a commercial memory leakage detector) as well as with Valgrind, a
GPL tool (http://developer.kde.org/~sewardj/).

Uses multi-layered server design with independent modules.

Designed to be fully multi-threaded using kernel threads, to easily use multiple CPUs if
they are available.

Provides transactional and nontransactional storage engines.

Uses very fast B-tree disk tables (MyISAM) with index compression.

Designed to make it relatively easy to add other storage engines. This is useful if you
want to provide an SQL interface for an in-house database.

Uses a very fast thread-based memory allocation system.

Executes very fast joins using an optimized nested-loop join.

Implements in-memory hash tables, which are used as temporary tables.

Implements SQL functions using a highly optimized class library that should be as fast as
possible. Usually there is no memory allocation at all after query initialization.

Provides the server as a separate program for use in a client/server networked

environment, and as a library that can be embedded (linked) into standalone applications.
Such applications can be used in isolation or in environments where no network is
available.