Some backend libraries let you write SQL queries as they are and deliver them to the database. They still handle making the connection, pooling, etc.

ORMs introduce a different API for making SQL queries, with the aim to make it easier. But I find them always subpar to SQL, and often times they miss advanced features (and sometimes not even those advanced).

It also means every time I use a ORM, I have to learn this ORM’s API.

SQL is already a high level language abstracting inner workings of the database. So I find the promise of ease of use not to beat SQL. And I don’t like abstracting an already high level abstraction.

Alright, I admit, there are a few advantages:

  • if I don’t know SQL and don’t plan on learning it, it is easier to learn a ORM
  • if I want better out of the box syntax highlighting (as SQL queries may be interpreted as pure strings)
  • if I want to use structures similar to my programming language (classes, functions, etc).

But ultimately I find these benefits far outweighed by the benefits of pure sql.

  • Lmaydev@programming.dev
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    1 year ago

    I don't c#'s EF is brilliant

    dbContext.Products.Where(p => p.Price < 50).GroupBy(p => p.Category.Id).ToArray()
    
    • JWBananas@startrek.website
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      1 year ago
        p.*
      FROM
        Products p
      WHERE
        p.Price < 50
      GROUP BY
        p.Category_Id```
      
      Meanwhile the ORM is probably generating something stupid and unnecessarily slow like this:
      
      ```SELECT
        p.*, c.*
      FROM
        Products p
      JOIN
        Category c
        USING (Category_Id)
      WHERE
        p.Price < 50
      GROUP BY
        c.Category_Id```
      
      Now stop using goddamn capital letters in your table and field names. And get off my lawn!