What is the difference between SQL and SQL server?

Whenever we perform database operations, we think that SQL itself executes those operations. But, it is not so. In fact, SQL is a query language that is used to write the database queries, which are executed by some database engines like SQL Server, Oracle, etc. So in this blog, we'll first have a brief introduction about SQL and SQL server, and then we'll differentiate them based on some points.

So, let us start learning them one by one.

SQL

SQL is the acronym for Structured Query Language. It is a query language that can be used to write queries to create schema , store, manipulate, and retrieve data from the relational database . It is developed by Donald D. Chamberlin and Raymond F. Boyce at IBM in the early 1970s. SQL is also pronounced as 'Sequel'.

SQL is a de-facto standard. It is also standardized by ANSI(American National Standards Institute) in 1986 and ISO(International Organization for Standardization) in 1987. It is to be noted that the queries can only be written using SQL, but we need some RDBMS (Relational Database Management Systems) like SQL Server, Oracle to execute those SQL commands and queries. You can learn more about SQL here .

SQL is further divided into four sub-languages, that are as follows:

DDL(Data Definition Language): DDL is used to specify the relational database schema , which is usually hidden from the database users. Some DDL commands are CREATE, DROP, ALTER, TRUNCATE, etc.
DML(Data Manipulation Language): DML enables a database user to access or modify the data stored in the database that is organized by appropriate data models . Some of the DML commands are SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, etc.
DCL(Data Control Language): DCL is a language used to control access to data stored in the database. Some of the DCL commands are GRANT, REVOKE, etc.
TCL(Transaction Control Language): TCL deals with the transactions within the relational database. Some of the TCL commands are COMMIT, ROLLBACK, SAVEPOINT, etc.

you can learn more about these SQL commands here .

SQL Server

SQL Server, also known as MS SQL Server is an RDBMS (Relational Database Management System). It is an application that stores the database data and executes the SQL commands and queries to manipulate the relational database. Moreover, it also manages and performs all the database operations.

The SQL Server is developed by Microsoft in the year 1989 for commercial purposes. It is proprietary software developed using C and C++ languages. It uses a different form of SQL, which is called T-SQL(Transact Structured Query Language). T-SQL is almost the same as SQL with slight variations in the queries.

The SQL Server is platform-dependent, different software is available for different platforms. SQL Server is supported by the Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems. The latest version of the SQL Server is 15.0, which is released in the year 2019.

There are some other RDBMS also available like Oracle, DB2, etc. But SQL Server is easy to use and provides better functionalities and user-friendly operations. It has both command-line and GUI(Graphical User Interface) for providing better user operations. Also, the SQL Server has frequent security and operational updates that make it more popular.

Differences between SQL and SQL Server

Type: SQL is a query language. It is used to write queries to retrieve or manipulate the relational database data. On the other hand, SQL Server is proprietary software or an RDBMS tool that executes the SQL statements. It also provides some additional features and functionalities, so that the user can properly interact with the database and can perform all the database operations efficiently.
Developed By: SQL was developed by IBM in around 1970s. It is a standard query language, that is standardized by ANSI(American National Standards Institute) in 1986 and ISO(International Organization for Standardization) in 1987. On the other hand, SQL Server was developed by Microsoft in the year 1989 for commercial purposes.
Purpose: SQL is needed to write commands for specifying relational database schemas . It is also needed to write a query for storing, manipulating, or retrieving the database data. On the other hand, SQL Server is a software needed to execute the SQL commands and queries. It is also needed to manage and perform all the database operations.
Application: SQL commands and queries are used by all RDBMS for creating relational database schemas , storing, manipulating, or retrieving the database data. On the other hand, the SQL Server is used as an RDBMS database . It is available in both command-line and GUI(Graphical User Interface) for providing better user operations.
Platform Dependency: Since SQL is a standardized query language. The SQL queries remain the same irrespective of different platforms. Hence, SQL is a platform-independent query language. On the other hand, SQL Server is proprietary software and the same software can not be used for all the platforms. Hence, SQL Server is a platform-dependent RDBMS .
Updates: Since SQL is a standard query language, it does not have any updates. The database queries that are written using SQL always remains the same. On the other hand, SQL Server is proprietary software, developed for commercial purposes. Hence, it gets frequently updated. Various versions of SQL Server are available for use, each new version has some enhanced functionalities.