RELAX — the relational algebra pocket calculator project
Victor Matos, Rebecca Grasser · ACM SIGCSE Bulletin · 2000
Database courses benefit from the abundance of commercial SQL systems available today. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the relational algebra query language. This article considers a lab experience to integrate the learning of these two important topics. In the process of implementing the project, the student acquires practical knowledge in areas such as database programming, parsing and compiling, dynamic SQL code generation, object linking and embedding technologies (OLE), and problem solving skills using the framework of relational algebra. This activity is applied to a traditional second semester database theory course and appears to be very beneficial to the student.