SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is the language we use to talk to relational databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite.
What is a Server and Where Does the Database Live?
Most beginners think the database is somewhere floating in the "cloud." It is not.
A database is software running on a server. A server is just a powerful computer that runs 24/7 inside a data center — like Amazon AWS, Google Cloud, or DigitalOcean. When that software saves your data, it writes it to actual files on the server's SSD or hard drive.
MySQL and PostgreSQL save data as .ibd files or WAL (Write-Ahead Log) files. MongoDB saves as .bson files. These files sit on disk just like any file on your laptop.
