Date and Time Calculations Made Easy with EOMONTH, DATEDIFF, and DATEADD
Learn how to work with dates and calculate particular dates or elapsed time periods with some of the functions available in SQL Server.
2025-05-09
3,099 reads
omu
The Subtle Differences Between COALESCE and ISNULL
See how ISNULL and COALESCE behave in different situations and ensure you know which one to pick when.
2025-04-18
5,089 reads
Understanding UNION and UNION ALL in SQL Server
A short look at the differences in UNION and UNION ALL in a SELECT query.
2025-04-07
4,340 reads
Dynamic T-SQL Script Parameterization Using Python
Learn how dynamic SQL and sp_executeSQL can be used together from Python.
2025-03-24
3,654 reads
Using SQL Server Stored Procedures with the Django ORM
Learn how you can call stored procedures in the Django ORM, which lets you encapsulate more complex queries inside the database.
2025-03-14
1,379 reads
The Paradox of NOLOCK: How Dirty Reads Can Sometimes Be Cleaner
Every SQL Server developer has heard it: "Don't use NOLOCK in production!" But this common rule isn't as simple as it seems. Sometimes, what seems like a bad practice can actually be the right choice. Let's explain what NOLOCK really does in simple terms. When you use NOLOCK, you're telling SQL Server "just show me […]
2024-12-09
5,048 reads
A Guide to SQL Security in Django
If you encounter Django in your environment, are you thinking about SQL Injection and security? If not, read this article and learn how to protect your data.
2024-11-01
1,075 reads
Leveraging SQL Transaction Control in Python Applications
Explore the fundamentals of Python's SQL transaction control, demonstrating how to control and enhance database operations for improved data integrity. The best practices and real-world examples for integrating strong transaction management in Python applications are covered in this article.
2024-10-28
1,655 reads
Django's ORM vs. Raw SQL: When to Use Which
When it comes to building websites, how you work with your database can make a huge difference in how well your site runs. That's especially true if you're using Django, a popular tool for making websites with Python. Django comes with something called an Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) layer, which is a fancy way of saying […]
2024-01-26
4,969 reads
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Question of the Day
The Decoded Value
In SQL Server 2025, what is returned from this code:
DECLARE @message VARCHAR(50) = 'Hello SQL Server 2025!'; DECLARE @encoded VARCHAR(MAX); SET @encoded = BASE64_ENCODE(CAST(@message AS VARBINARY(1000))); SELECT BASE64_DECODE(@encoded)See possible answers