explaingit

hawkingrei/tinysql

Analysis updated 2026-07-18 · repo last pushed 2020-05-03

Audience · developerComplexity · 4/5DormantSetup · moderate

TLDR

A hands-on course where you build a working SQL database from scratch in Go, implementing query parsing, execution planning, and data changes like a real database.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((TinySQL))
    What it does
      Build a SQL database
      Parse SQL queries
      Plan query execution
      Handle data changes
    Tech stack
      Go
      SQL
      MySQL protocol
    Course layers
      Fundamentals
      Read-only queries
      Data-changing queries
    Use cases
      Learn database internals
      Practice systems programming
      Prep for backend roles
    Audience
      Curious developers
      Backend engineers

Code map

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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Learn how databases like PostgreSQL or MySQL parse and execute SQL queries under the hood.

USE CASE 2

Implement a query planner that decides how to efficiently run a SELECT statement.

USE CASE 3

Build the logic that handles INSERT and UPDATE queries and resolves conflicting writes.

USE CASE 4

Connect to your own working database server with a standard MySQL client after finishing the course.

What is it built with?

GoSQL

How does it compare?

hawkingrei/tinysql0verflowme/alarm-clock0verflowme/seclists
Language—CSS—
Last pushed2020-05-032022-10-032020-05-03
MaintenanceDormantDormantDormant
Setup difficultymoderateeasyeasy
Complexity4/52/51/5
Audiencedevelopervibe coderops devops

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 1h+

Requires solid Go skills and working through progressively harder database-internals problems.

Not specified in the explanation.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Walk me through TinySQL's course structure in Go and help me set up the first fundamentals module.
Prompt 2
Help me implement the SQL query planner step of TinySQL that decides how to execute a SELECT with a WHERE clause.
Prompt 3
Explain how TinySQL handles conflicting writes when multiple INSERT or UPDATE queries happen at once.
Prompt 4
Show me how to connect a standard MySQL client to the database server I build by completing TinySQL.

Frequently asked questions

What is tinysql?

A hands-on course where you build a working SQL database from scratch in Go, implementing query parsing, execution planning, and data changes like a real database.

Is tinysql actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2020-05-03).

What license does tinysql use?

Not specified in the explanation.

How hard is tinysql to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 1h+ to a first successful run.

Who is tinysql for?

Mainly developer.

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