One of the greatest strengths of the Perl programming language is its ability to manipulate large amounts of data. Database programming is therefore a natural fit for Perl, not only for business applications but also for CGI-based web and intranet applications. The primary interface for database programming in Perl is DBI. DBI is a database-independent package that provides a consistent set of routines regardless of what database product you use--Oracle, Sybase, Ingres, Informix, you name it. The design of DBI is to separate the actual database drivers (DBDs) from the programmer's API, so any DBI program can work with any database, or even with multiple databases by different vendors simultaneously. Programming the Perl DBI is coauthored by Alligator Descartes, one of the most active members of the DBI community, and by Tim Bunce, the inventor of DBI. For the uninitiated, the book explains the architecture of DBI and shows you how to write DBI-based programs. For the experienced DBI dabbler, this book reveals DBI's nuances and the peculiarities of each individual DBD. The book includes:

• An introduction to DBI and its design

• How to construct queries and bind parameters

• Working with database, driver, and statement handles

• Debugging techniques

• Coverage of each existing DBD

• A complete reference to DBI

This is the definitive book for database programming in Perl.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 49 Ratings

pretty good book, but so is the CPAN documentation - 2004-09-27
Reviewer Rating:
This is a (the definitive) book on Perl DBI. I swapped book-for-book with a former co-worker for this. I keep it in the office for the newbies.

If you're already a pro at PERL, you should be able to get by with just the CPAN documentation. However, if your employer is footing the bill, get it. :-)

However if you're new to PERL and need to use DBI, get it.

Very nice tips and tricks you can pick up, even a few for the pros.

An alright book for the DBI beginner - 2004-07-28
Reviewer Rating:
The database-oriented view of programming has become increasingly popular, and it is of great importance for all serious programmers to understand how to use their favorite language to manipulate the database systems. With the variety of database systems out there, it can be a real challenge to learn what there is to know. For the Perl programmer, however, there is this book on the matter, and it will probably be all you'll need to get started working with database programming in no time. Other reviewers have stated that this is a regurgitation of the docs. This is partially true. But the docs are very bland, and this book presents the information in a much more informative, and easy to read manner. With it, you can begin programming the DBI within a week (a day if you already know SQL and skip the chapter on the Berkley DB system). Recommended for anyone interested in learning how to use Databases with Perl. If you already know the DBI, the book wont be of much help, maybe as a reference, but I'd only pick it up if you don't know it, or are still inexperienced at it.

still a valuable reference for multiple databases - 2003-09-06
Reviewer Rating:
This book has been a valuable reference of mine for several years for web database programming projects. I bought the book soon after it was released and continue to use it - sometimes on a daily basis depending upon the project I am currently developing. I realized from the beginning that much of the material in this book came from the online documentation and have still found the book to be useful enough to stay on my A-list of reference materials. Applications like CGIScripter need to utilize up to half a dozen different databases so I have found the reference section on each database be the section I often turn to first. I have not found this info available anywhere in the online documentation. When you program and debug on multiple computers with multiple windows open simultaneously, having a reference book is often more manageable than opening another window on the computer. And for those times when I am struggling with an especially troublesome programming issue, I have found it very helpful to sit in my easy chair with a reference book like the Perl DBI book in order to research the problem. The only reason I am not giving the book 5 stars is that it hasn't been updated in a few years so it doesn't include info on some of the new DBI supported databases like SQLite.

Not so relevant now - 2009-09-07
Reviewer Rating:
I think, what is covered in the book is more theory. No practical examples on how to connect to various databases (ex: MySQL, Oracle). I would rather say, it is outdated and more useful information can be found on the web. I shouldn't have bought it although it just costed me [...].

The standard for Peral Database Programming - 2007-01-18
Reviewer Rating:
If you are serious about using Perl to interface with any database, then this is the only book will will ever need. Amazon was the only place I could find a copy, since the book is currently out-of-print.

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