SQL and other related database tools are absolutely vital for social media apps to perform to a high standard. Without such databases, social media apps wouldn’t be able to retrieve, edit, or delete the desired information that a social media app needs to work. SQL databases aren’t only required for social media apps to operate; however, they are also used because it’s the most efficient way to handle millions of pieces of data without overloading server hardware with too many files. Let’s have a look at some of the ways SQL is used at the backend of social media apps.
To Work with Several Programming Languages
What’s great about SQL is that it can work with multiple coding languages at the same time to ensure websites and apps work flawlessly. While the most popular coding language to be used with SQL is in fact PHP, even C++, Python, and now even HTML can access the databases. It makes SQL one of the most advanced database tools out there.
User Registration & Login Process
When a user first registers for an account with the social media app, they’ll need to enter a few details about themselves so the social media app has the data it needs to retrieve in the future. You may be required to enter a username, first name, surname, phone number, and an email address as the basic information to proceed with registration. Once this information is entered, the app will contact the database to first make sure an account with the previous information was already registered. If the details match previous details, it will return with an error to suggest that the user already has an account. The login process works in similar fashion; if you were to enter the wrong details, it would also return an error. If the login/registration process was successful, you will be redirected to the main page of the app. Here is a good SQL tutorial to follow if you wish to learn more about how databases work and how you can get started in programming.
To Update Information
When a registered user creates an account for the first time, or to update any personal details of theirs, the social media app will need to access the database to notify it of those changes. In general, most programmers use PHP to access the database information, but there are several other popular languages out there that can achieve the same results. Ultimately, SQL is used as a way for programming languages to retrieve, update, and possibly delete server-side information. If you had a website that held any user information, you would likely use PHP & SQL in partnership to handle the whole process.
In conclusion, SQL plays a huge role in ensuring social media apps not only work, but also work as efficiently as possible without putting too much strain on the server hardware. Social media apps also use other types of databases and programming languages to work in conjunction to provide the best service possible to registered users.
