CST 363 - Week 1

Intro to Databases

CST 363 is here and I've been really looking forward to this course. I've never had any back-end experience, so the idea of getting a 2 month crash-course on the basics is exciting.

That being said, I learned a lot this week.

• MySQL - I have never touched SQL or any similar language, so the bulk of what I learned this week was the syntax, logic, and reasoning behind using MySQL
• Database Queries - The same goes for Databases and Server-Run scripts in general. I knew the high-level description of what a database was used for, but learned the basics of how to manage one this week.
• Python Integration - I wouldn't have expected using a Python script to affect a database would be as easy as it was in the first homework assignment, but was pleasantly surprised. The basics of getting it to run sound a lot more complicated that it actually was.
• Hosting a Web App through CGI - I was able to use the CGI needed to complete the first assignment. However, I'm still not 100% what CGI is, even after looking into outside of the assignment. But it seems worth learning more about.