Fundamental and secondary issues in the design of non-procedural relational languages

ABSTRACT

A number of high-level data manipulation languages have been proposed for the relational model. This paper summarizes results of an analysis of languages and attempts to evaluate various criteria as to their capability of accounting for differences among languages.

The distinction between fundamental and secondary characteristics of languages is not the result of a speculative exploration of which features should be made available in a relational language. Instead, this distinction is based on a comparison of existing languages as they are described in the literature.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.2 DATABASE MANAGEMENT
      H.2.3 Languages
          Subjects: Data manipulation languages (DML)

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.2 DATABASE MANAGEMENT
      H.2.4 Systems
          Subjects: Relational databases
  H.3 INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL
      H.3.4 Systems and Software
          Subjects: Performance evaluation (efficiency and effectiveness)

General Terms:
Design, Languages, Performance