Wolfram Language not what I thought?

Questions
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1

I immediately signed on as a developer after seeing the amazing demonstrations and capabilities of Wolfram Language. After working through the programmers tutorial, I immediately begin to search for database driven web application material. To my disappointment if I want a small database it will cost me 1000 dollars per year or I could buy my own private cloud for much more… For $25/month I should have access to a small database on the cloud. Now, after more searching I’ m realizing this language is more for science application (its roots i think?), and I’m not sure if I’ll have much success anymore building what I want. Am I in the wrong language? Can anyone provide a little encouragement or direction?

Thank you,
Evan McClaugherty

2

Could you expand on your intended use?

3

Hi David,
Thank you for replying. I want to create a website backed by a relational database. Where users can create profiles and interact with the databse and other members.
-evan

4

I fear you’re out of my experience. Good luck!

5

Wolfram Language cooperates nicely with many other systems. Perhaps you need a hybrid? Store data in your own database and do operations and analytics with the Wolfram Language? Not sure if you have seen this: DatabaseLink User Guide

6

Evan,
You can setup a MongoDB database for free and add an API to it (restheart.org). This allows you to access the database with URLFetch in the Wolfram language. This way the wolfram cloud talks to your MongoDB/restheart api you connected to the internet.
I would advise not to use the database available in the wolfram cloud. The java setting have restriction you will run into.
If you have a MS or Oracle sql server running and want to access it via Wolfram Cloud please have a look at Espresso Backend services. Not free but works really well and has a account/security management system.

here is a read with restheart api:

ImportString[
 URLFetch["http://192.168.xxx.xxx/course/" <> "collectionname", 
  "Method" -> "GET"], "JSON"]

this is a write via restheart api:

URLFetch["http://192.168.xxx.xxx/course/student",  "Headers" -> {"Content-Type" -> "application/json"},  "Body" -> ExportString[#, "JSON"],  "Method" -> "POST"]&

note:keep looking into the Wolfram Language, it can do many things others can’t.

7

Great suggestion, Pieter. Do you think it would be easy to use Google’s FusionTables from Wolfram?
Sincerely,
Stas

8

Hello Stas,

I was unfamiliar with Googles FusionTables. Studied it for a while and it seems they focus on producing visualizations on the web. The Wolfram Language is very good at this. It is also easy to embed you code in any website. btw via WL it is easy to address the Table Fusion APIs.
My questions would be why would you use FusionTables if you can produce the visualization with the wolfram language and use the cloud to publish or embed them.

9

Hi Pieter

My questions would be why would you use FusionTables

I look at FusuionTables as a simple database that can be edited by multiple people… Sorry for the late reply - somehow I missed your comment.