On: Ask HN: Would you want to run SQL queries on appli...

[uberman]

Are you talking about some sort of:

1) universal plugin to each app that allowed for standard access to raw API data

2) middleware service that you would authorize access to for each of these apps and have the service "know how to join"

3) data lake that allowed one to import all you data into and join together (perhaps with SQL or GQL)

[NavyDish → uberman]

Yes, a mix of 1 & 2 possibly -- am trying not to think too much about the implementation at this stage tbh.

Problem statement remains that every major SaaS app has an API available - while that's good, an API is still an engineer's tool. These apps can't really expose SQL on the go on their apps given a. multi-tenant architectures b. transactional/nosql databases used.

However, an ideal solution does seem like a mix of 1&2 in my mind. An easy to use SDK (?) to make any SaaS app have the capabilities of Stripe Sigma.

[uberman → NavyDish]

Before you commit to SQL, you might want to look at an implementation based on GraphQL, particularly if your audience is slightly less technical.

Bigger set up costs, but a little easier to work with in the end.