Requirements: SQL Query Builder

1. Functional Requirements

These are the core features the system must perform.

 

a. User Interface for Query Building
  • Allow users to select tables and fields.
  • Support drag-and-drop or form-based selection for ease of use.

 

b. Support for Basic SQL Clauses
  • SELECT, FROM, WHERE, ORDER BY, GROUP BY, HAVING.
  • Users can add multiple conditions and logical operators (AND, OR, NOT).

 

c. Join Support
  • Ability to perform INNER JOIN, LEFT JOIN, RIGHT JOIN, and FULL JOIN.
  • Users should be able to select join type and join condition visually or through input.

d. Query Preview
  • Display the generated SQL query in a text area before execution.
  • Option to edit raw SQL if advanced users want to.

e. Query Execution
  • Execute the query on a connected database and return results in tabular form.
  • Show errors clearly if the query fails.

 

f. Save & Load Queries
  • Allow users to save frequently used queries.
  • Load saved queries for re-use and editing.

g. Query Validation
  • Validate query syntax before execution.
  • Highlight potential issues like missing fields, ambiguous joins, or wrong data types.

h. Export Results

  • Support export of query results to CSV, Excel, or JSON formats.

 

2. Non-Functional Requirements

These describe how well the system should perform.

 

a. Usability
  • Simple and intuitive interface for both technical and non-technical users.
  • Tooltips and help icons to assist in query building.

b. Performance
  • Queries should execute quickly for large datasets (depending on the DB engine).
  • UI must remain responsive during long query runs.

c. Scalability
  • Support multiple users, sessions, and large database schemas.
  • Handle complex queries involving multiple tables.

 

d. Security
  • Proper authentication before access.
  • Limit access to database schemas and tables based on user roles.
  • Prevent SQL injection, even when editing raw SQL.

e. Compatibility
  • Support for multiple database engines (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle).
  • Use a database-agnostic query builder where possible.

3. Optional / Advanced Requirements

These can be discussed as system extensions or for bonus feature sets:

 

  • Syntax highlighting for raw SQL editing.
  • Real-time query performance stats (execution time, rows returned).
  • Visual ERD (Entity Relationship Diagram) support.
  • AI-assisted query suggestions.

How to Explain in Class:

  • Start with user goals: “What does the user want to achieve?” → Build and run queries easily.
  • Separate Functional vs Non-Functional: Helps students learn requirement types clearly.
  • Use simple scenarios: Like “HR wants all employees with salary > 50000 grouped by department.”
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