Data access that's as easy as browsing the web

Here's a quick test: find the SQL query in this sentence.

The link above is actually an HTSQL request that finds all albums by The Beatles in our MusicBrainz demo database. It looks like this:

http://musicdemo.htsql.com/album{name+}?artist.name='The Beatles'

That simple URL tells HTSQL to connect to the database, request your favorite artist from the artist table, sorts alphabetically, and return the results in HTML. There's no coding involved, on either the client or server. And even though it's a simple query, it's quite a bit easier to write than the SQL equivalent, which looks like this:

SELECT "album"."name", "album"."id" FROM "public"."album" 
AS "album" INNER JOIN "public"."artist" AS "artist" ON ("album"."artist" = "artist"."id") 
WHERE ("artist"."name" = E'The Beatles') ORDER BY 1 ASC, 2 ASC;

HTSQL is all about making data easier to use--for data analysts, casual programmers, and experienced developers who prefer a simple, HTTP-based way of getting data.

But can't I do this already?

There are dozens of ways to connect web applications to a database. There are hundreds of software products that help automate that process. HTSQL is unique because:

• It sends requests as URLs
• It lets you browse and search databases using nothing but your mouse
• It works over HTTP, the protocol of the web

Browsing the web is easy. Browsing databases shouldn't be hard. HTSQL connects people with data in the simplest way possible.

Instant Interface

Now let's say you have an idea for a great little web application. All you need is to get the data in XML form. You could develop a web service, or you could configure your database to do it.

Or you could do this:

http://musicdemo.htsql.com/album{name+}.xml?artist.name='The Beatles'

Just add the file extension of choice to export data as XML, CSV, JSON, or TXT. All those users clamoring for an API can now serve themselves.

A new way of looking at data on the web

If you're trying to solve a problem--satisfying power users, putting data into the hands of more people, developing an API--HTSQL is a fast, affordable solution.

It's also a new way of looking at how data can be accessed on the web. SQL has been around since the 1970s; it's time for a change. HTSQL does for data what the web did for documents. It's that easy and that powerful.