The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group
SQL In a Nutshell - For The Bookshelf
Major Keary

The Nutshell series is made up of titles designed to be concise, physically compact references that offer quick access to specific topics. They are generally compiled for people who know their subject, or who are migrating from some other application. 

SQL in a Nutshell is a command reference that covers SQL99 (also called SQL3), Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, and PostgreSQL. It contains useful additional information, such as URLs relevant to SQL and various vendors, and background data on SQL's history and vendor implementations. The bulk of the book is an SQL Statements Command Reference that lists in alphabetical order all the SQL commands with explanations and examples. A separate table shows the relative support or implementation by the four implementations. Each entry states what the command does, who supports it, vendor-by-vendor syntax and variations, and an example of usage. 

A separate listing of SQL functions follows a similar format. There is also a listing of unimplemented SQL99 command; these are commands specified in the standard, but which vendors have not yet implemented. An invaluable desktop reference for those who deal with SQL at a professional level. Compact and well designed.

Kevin and Daniel Kline: SQL in a Nutshell
ISBN 1-56592-744-3 
Published by O'Reilly, 
214 pp., 
RRP $89.95 incl. GST.

  Reprinted from the March 2002 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia