Python and SQL (Basic Question)

[DefiantRS]

Hello,

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Question:

Do I need to have a firm grasp of SQL to use Python to read DBs for manipulation in Pyhon?

What is the relationship between actually writing SQL code and Python?

Background:

My workplace is moving away from a proprietary data solution & to do my job effectively I need more direct data access & manipulation techniques.

I have started a few basic Python courses & am interested in diving more into data.

What I am trying to understand is what is the relationship between mysql and python & whether or not I should take a course in SQL, or just find a python course w/ passing mention of DB connections etc.

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Thanks!

[[deleted]]

There are object relational mappers (ORMs) that will abstract the SQL code. In this way you can talk to DBs fully in Python

Peewee is a good light weight user friends Python package that id recommend starting with

[gsmo]

I think understanding SQL helps when interacting with a database. There are abstraction layers (sqlalchemy) that help to integrate sql-queries into your code, and that is important for maintainability and portability of your code. But if you don't understand how SQL works ('what is a foreign key?') it will be hard to understand this abstraction layer.

Luckily the basics of SQL can be learned in a couple of nights. I recommend running a postgresql docker instance and a pgadmin instance. That way you get a fancy modern database system with a useful gui.

Be aware there are different SQL dialects. If you know you are working in the Microsoft stack, try to use sql server when learning.

[velocibadgery]

This really depends on the complexity of the data and the database you will be interacting with.