Powerful, Flexible, Maintainable SQL Generation - Without The Hassle

Powerful, Flexible, Maintainable SQL Generation - Without The Hassle.md

PHP is almost synonymous with databases, and has been since the early versions. Yet creating SQL queries can still be a challenging task. What's the right tool to use? ORMs often feel like overkill. And creating queries by hand can be unmaintainable. In this session, I'll show you how to use the Zend\Db library to generate SQL queries; from simple selects, through to more complex unions, filtered deletions, and updates. You'll learn how to use the library to create flexible, secure, maintainable, and reusable queries quickly, and efficiently, saving you time and effort in the long term.

I'd rephrase "Without the FAt" as just "Lean"

to open this to a general audience, I would pitch that you'll show show how to build a query with raw SQL + PDO and then show how Zend\Db can build the same query just easier to read and maintain.

Thanks @omerida. I was trying to go for a catchy title with that original title, and was trying to get a pick of the George Forman grill in there. I've updated it to appeal to more needs the user may have.

My intent is to build a range of queries, growing in complexity, starting from a simple one, such as a select * from blah where ..., then building up to a multi-union query, via simple refactoring. However, I'm not sure if my ambition is too big for the time available.

I don't think you need the first half of the first sentence. Is this talk just focused on MySQL? If not, don't mention that. Instead of saying "Doctrine" perhaps mention ORM's instead to make it more general (unless you are specifically talking about Doctrine in your talk?).

You do discuss some benefits of Zend/Db, but you need to more clearly define what is the benefit that attendees will gain or the solution they will receive to their problem?

Thanks Beth. I'll see what I can do.

Key to a talk like this (as I've given several bad ones) is clearly framing the problem each query solves (is it a date range? Those are tricky! How about the classic "get the newest revision" problem) rather than the technique in use to solve it. Also beware that you probably want to show off some stuff that some of the audience isn't totally familiar with in SQL, loads of web developers don't really understand multiple joins or aggregate queries, so be prepared to do a quick refresh on the SQL first at each step.

I get you. Thanks for the tip mate. I especially like your point about covering some areas that the audience isn't especially familiar with. I'll rework it further and add some notes to take those points in to consideration.