Chapter 3. SQL According to MySQL

The Structured Query Language (SQL) is used to read and write to MySQL databases. Using SQL, you can search for, enter, modify, or delete data. SQL is the most fundamental tool you will need for your interactions with MySQL. Even if you are using some application or graphical user interface to access the database, somewhere under the hood that application is generating SQL.

SQL is a sort of "natural" language. In other words, an SQL statement should read—at least on the surface—like a sentence of English text. This approach has both benefits and drawbacks, but the end result is a language unlike traditional programming languages such as C, Java, or Perl.