What is a good reason to use SQL views?

sql

data-abstraction

database-management

sql-views

byAnton Shumikhin·Dec 20, 2024

SQL views are virtual tables that highlight necessary data, maintain consistency, and encapsulate complex computations. Example:

CREATE VIEW CustomerOrders AS
SELECT CustomerID, COUNT(OrderID) AS NumberOfOrders -- Who knew counting could be this fun!
FROM Orders
GROUP BY CustomerID;

Retrieve customer order counts using a simpler query:

SELECT * FROM CustomerOrders; -- Behold, simplified data access!

SQL views reduce query complexity while boosting maintainability.

Coping with Database Changes

Views support change management for table structure deployments without hindering application performance:

Easing migrations: Use views to smoothly transition to new tables and hide old ones.
Change encapsulation: Views serve as a stable API, concealing disruptive schema modifications.
Code Reuse: Employ views to share complex SQL snippets and cut down on monotonous coding.
Deployment Simplification: Deploy structural modifications with less friction using views.

Securing Access and Simplicity

Views excel at preserving data security and streamlining data access:

Improved Security: Limit access to underlying tables, granting data extracts based on need-to-know.
Query Simplicity: Convert intricate joins into digestible, maintainable SQL statements, thereby increasing development speed.
Column Name Alias: Swap cryptic column names for meaningful ones to enhance SQL statement legibility.

Making Developers Lives Easier

From the perspective of developers and end-users, views have multiple advantages:

Centralized Maintenance: The logic existing within views can be updated once to impact all referencing scenarios.
Data Representation: Views help generate summarized virtual tables used for analytics and reporting.
Uniform Data Access: Set a consistent query standard for joining the same tables through views.

Abstraction and Efficient Handling

Views are critical for abstracting data layers and efficient data handling:

Data Abstraction: Views provide a buffer between users and underlying data structures, making interaction simpler for the former.
Maximal Compaction: By using standard SQL views, you can avoid physically storing result sets, unlike materialized views.
Intermediate Processing: Put views to work as staging entities in a complicated multi-step data operation.

Future-Proofing with Views

Views provide boosted flexibility and adaptability:

Future-ready: Views adapt to changes in the database schema, minimizing refactoring.
Centralized logic: Views centralize SQL logic, expediting the update process.
API Enrichment: Using views alongside stored procedures can amplify the API's resilience to schema changes.