Hi Luke,
If you need to read/write and are familiar with SQL, use DatabaseLink. If you just need to read, and are familiar with the WL entity framework, use RelationalDatabase.
You did not mention the type of database server you are connecting to (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLServer, ...). If it is one that DatabaseLink already has an installed JDBC driver for then the easiest way to connect is to use it. For a list of installed JDBC drivers
Needs["DatabaseLink`"]
JDBCDriverNames[]
Assuming the JDBC driver for your database is already installed, here is an example of opening a connection using a public RNA sequence PostgreSQL database hosted by RNACentral.
conn = OpenSQLConnection[
JDBC["PostgreSQL", "hh-pgsql-public.ebi.ac.uk/pfmegrnargs"],
"Username" -> "reader", "Password" -> "NWDMCE5xdipIjRrp"
]
List of tables
tables = SQLTableNames[conn]
Execute query using SQL string queries (WL style SQL queries would be an alternative)
SQLExecute[conn, "select * from xref where ac = 'OTTHUMT00000106564.1'"]
Close the connection when you are done
CloseSQLConnection[conn]
