Query Structures, Keyboard-Based
Querying & Pattern Matching
• With Examples & Use Cases
Query Structures: Overview
• - Definition: Formal organization of a query for data retrieval.
• - Purpose: Specifies what data is needed & how to get it.
• - Components:
• • Syntax (rules)
• • Semantics (meaning)
• • Logical structure
• • Physical structure
Types of Query Structures
• - Flat – Simple keywords (e.g., 'sales report 2024')
• - Hierarchical – Tree-like (e.g., Company → Dept → Employee)
• - Graph-based – Relationships as nodes/edges (e.g., social network queries)
• - Boolean – AND, OR, NOT operators (e.g., 'AI' AND 'Education')
Example: SQL Query Structure
• SELECT Name, Salary
• FROM Employees
• WHERE Department = 'HR' AND Salary > 50000;
• - Retrieves Name & Salary of HR employees earning above 50K.
• Use Cases:
• • Business Intelligence reports
• • E-commerce filtering
• • Research databases
Keyboard-Based Querying:
Overview
• - Definition: Typing queries into a system to get results.
• - Types:
• 1. Command language (SQL, SPARQL)
• 2. Keyword search (Google, library catalogs)
• 3. Natural language queries ('Show me laptops under ₹50,000')
Advantages & Limitations
• Advantages:
• • Flexible & fast for skilled users
• • Allows complex conditions
• • Works without GUI
• Limitations:
• • Requires syntax knowledge for formal queries
• • Not intuitive for non-technical users
Keyboard Query Examples
• Keyword Search:
• laptop under 50000 with SSD
• SQL Command:
• SELECT *
• FROM Products
• WHERE Price < 50000 AND StorageType = 'SSD';
• Use Cases:
• • Database management
• • Search engines
• • Library systems
Pattern Matching: Overview
• - Definition: Finding strings/data that match a specific pattern.
• - Types:
• • Exact matching
• • Wildcard matching (LIKE in SQL)
• • Regex (regular expressions)
SQL Pattern Matching
• Wildcards:
• • % → Any sequence of characters
• • _ → Single character
• Example:
• SELECT Name
• FROM Customers
• WHERE Name LIKE 'A%';
• - Finds names starting with “A” (Ahmed, Anita).
Regex Pattern Matching
• Python Example:
• import re
• pattern = r"\b\d{3}-\d{2}-\d{4}\b"
• text = "My SSN is 123-45-6789."
• if [Link](pattern, text):
• print("Valid pattern found!")
• Use Cases:
• • Data validation (emails, phone numbers)
• • Fraud detection
• • DNA sequence analysis
Summary Table
• Feature | Query Structures | Keyboard Querying | Pattern Matching
• --------|------------------|-------------------|-----------------
• Definition | Query organization | Typing to search | Match by patterns
• Skill Needed | Medium–High | Low–High | Medium
• Example | SQL SELECT | Google search | SQL LIKE / Regex
• Use Cases | BI, research | Databases, search | Validation, fraud detection
Final Note
• - Query structures give a framework.
• - Keyboard queries are the interface.
• - Pattern matching is a filtering tool.
• - Together, they form the backbone of modern search & database systems.
