Prof. Viktor Leis from TUM will give a talk in the elite program’s special lecture series. The title of the talk is “Towards Sanity in Query Languages” and it will take place in room 1055N at 4PM on 08th May 2025.

Abstract

The relational model has stood the test of time and is the foundation of most database systems. But let’s be honest — its success is not because of SQL, but in spite of it. SQL’s syntax is arcane, inconsistent, and bears little resemblance to the actual execution semantics of queries. Worse yet, SQL is not even a true standard — every system implements its own incompatible dialect, creating a fractured ecosystem where portability and interoperability are afterthoughts. This lack of standardization slows down innovation, forcing database developers to reinvent the wheel instead of pushing the field forward.

In this talk, we argue that we need a formally defined Sane Intermediate Representation (SaneIR) — a well-specified, interoperable abstraction for relational query execution. SaneIR would serve as a lingua franca between database systems, enabling compatibility, portability, and accelerated progress in the database world. It’s time to stop treating SQL as the immovable foundation of relational databases and start designing a future where database systems can truly evolve.