Why Is ANSI-92 SQL Adoption Lagging Behind ANSI-89, Despite Its Benefits?

ANSI-92 SQL: Why the Lag Behind ANSI-89?

Overview:

While ANSI-92 SQL offers significant improvements, many organizations persist in using the older ANSI-89 standard. This article investigates the reasons for this continued reliance on outdated syntax and assesses whether ANSI-92 provides tangible performance gains.

Benefits of ANSI-92:

• Enhanced Readability: The introduction of the JOIN keyword in ANSI-92, coupled with table aliases, dramatically improves the clarity and understandability of SQL queries.
• Simplified Outer Joins: ANSI-92's approach to outer joins is far more intuitive than the Oracle ( ) syntax.

Performance Impact:

Based on the findings in Gulutzan and Pelzer's "SQL Performance Tuning," there's generally no performance difference between ANSI-89 and ANSI-92 join syntax. Database systems typically translate both into an internal format before processing, making the surface-level syntax insignificant for optimization.

Obstacles to Wider Adoption:

• Reliance on Legacy Code: Many developers continue to use ANSI-89 due to readily available code examples and snippets from older projects.
• Habitual Coding Practices: Memorized coding patterns, rather than a deep understanding of SQL principles, can hinder the transition to the newer standard.
• Resistance to Change: Organizations may be reluctant to adopt new standards due to potential disruptions to existing workflows and established practices.

Promoting ANSI-92 Adoption:

Despite these obstacles, promoting ANSI-92 is vital. Its superior readability and consistency lead to higher code quality and improved collaboration among developers. By highlighting these advantages, we can foster a more efficient and standardized SQL development environment.

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