Relational Queries

Definition ∞ Relational queries are structured requests used to retrieve and manipulate data from relational databases, which organize data into tables with predefined relationships. These queries, typically written in SQL, allow users to specify criteria for selecting, joining, and aggregating data. While blockchains are not traditional relational databases, the concept of querying and analyzing structured data within them is relevant for analytics. It is fundamental to data retrieval in many traditional systems.
Context ∞ In the digital asset domain, while raw blockchain data is not natively relational, analytics firms employ sophisticated methods to structure and query on-chain information to track transactions, identify patterns, and monitor network activity. News often discusses the challenges of performing complex relational-style queries on immutable, append-only blockchain ledgers for regulatory compliance or market intelligence. The development of specialized blockchain indexing and querying tools is a continuous area of innovation.