Ask HN: What do you use instead of SQL?
I see SQL (query language) being used widely. I am wondering: is there something better? Did you choose or find a (better/different) alternative instead of SQL at some time or in a certain context?
SQL is often used with a general purpose, relational database management system (RDBMS). This is appropriate when the problem space is large and parts of it are unknown or likely to change in ways you can't begin to predict at the current time. In other words, when functionality and flexibility are more important than raw speed.
When the problem space is more limited and more clearly defined, this can be overkill or mistargeted. Then something like a simple indexed key/value store might be more appropriate.
Years of working with SQL and RDBMS often leads to a mindset where programmers are convinced that it is the only possible solution to every problem. If a hammer is all you know, everything looks like a nail. The reality often is that it is the one solution they know best or feel most comfortable with.