DuckDB has enhanced its user experience with the introduction of a new web-based user interface in the v1.2.1 release. This addition brings graphical interaction capabilities to the analytical database system, making it more accessible to users who prefer visual interfaces over command-line operations.
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Azure Data Studio is Being Retired: Microsoft Recommends Transitioning to Visual Studio Code
As an Azure Data Studio user, I was surprised when an alert popped up informing me that Azure Data Studio (ADS) is being retired on February 28, 2026. The message included a link to Microsoft’s recent announcement.
Microsoft now recommends we transition to Visual Studio Code (VS Code) instead.
Continue readingSQLite’s json_valid() Now Accepts an Argument that Defines What “Valid” Means
SQLite’s json_valid()
function allows us to check whether a JSON string is well formed or not.
Prior to SQLite 3.45.0 the json_valid()
function only accepts one argument – the value to check. However, from SQLite 3.45.0 (released on 15 January 2024), we can now provide an optional second argument to define what valid – or “well formed” – means.
Oracle Adds Support for IF EXISTS and IF NOT EXISTS Syntax Modifiers
Many RDBMSs implement IF EXISTS
and IF NOT EXISTS
syntax modifiers that can be used with DDL object creation, modification, and deletion, such as CREATE TABLE
and DROP TABLE
statements, to name just a couple.
These syntax modifiers allow us to run such statements without getting an error in the event that the object already exists (if we’re trying to create it or modify it) or doesn’t exist (if we’re trying to drop it).
Continue readingImprovements to the TRIM(), LTRIM() and RTRIM() Functions in SQL Server 2022
The release of SQL Server 2022 in November 2022 introduced a bunch of new functionality, including some enhancements to the TRIM()
, LTRIM()
and RTRIM()
functions.
The enhancements in the LTRIM()
and RTRIM()
functions are different to those in the TRIM()
function. Below is a quick overview of the enhancements to these functions, along with examples.
SQLite Introduces the -> and ->> Operators for Extracting JSON Subcomponents
Starting with SQLite version 3.38.0 (released on 22 February 2022), we can now use the ->
and ->>
operators to extract subcomponents of JSON documents.
The aim with these operators is to be compatible with the equivalent MySQL and PostgreSQL operators.
Continue readingJSON Functions are now Enabled by Default in SQLite
SQLite’s JSON functions and operators are now enabled by default, starting from SQLite 3.38.0 (released on 22 February 2022).
Continue readingSQLite Renames PRINTF() to FORMAT()
SQLite has introduced the FORMAT()
function, which can be used to format strings.
More precisely, it has actually just renamed its SQL PRINTF()
function to FORMAT()
. The reason is for better compatibility with other DBMSs. The original PRINTF()
name is retained as an alias for backwards compatibility.
The FORMAT()
function (or its naming) was introduced in SQLite 3.38.0, which was released on 22 February 2022.
MariaDB Introduces a JSON_TABLE() Function
The 10.6.0 release of MariaDB has added a JSON_TABLE()
function.
The JSON_TABLE()
 function returns a representation of a JSON document as a relational table with the specified columns. It enables you to map JSON paths into relational columns to be returned in its results set.
MariaDB to Introduce TO_CHAR()
The TO_CHAR()
function has beeen introduced in MariaDB 10.6.1.