Pete Mayo Aug 30, 2025
Taggart

You'll find no shortage of advice telling aspiring cybersecurity professionals to learn how to program—usually in Python. I humbly submit another language may serve you even better:

SQL.

Learning how relational data is queried, aggregated, and presented will translate to any number of processes.

Aug 30, 2025 at 1:20amWeb
Show threadTaggartAug 30, 2025
When you learn how the data layer is queried, suddenly what you are presented in the application is no longer magical. You know how to ask for what you want, and how to talk to the developers of tools you use to improve the UX for what you need.
Show threadFritz AdalisAug 30, 2025
@mttaggart
Or to just ignore the application because web apps are slow and sql is fast, and nothing is hidden.
Show threadTaggartAug 30, 2025
@FritzAdalis Also that!
Show threada high doomAug 30, 2025

@mttaggart yes, and

Flames be damned: absolutely minimal competency in an os cli. Because damnit if you cannot cd to the user profile from wherever you are, a whole basket of pythons cannot save you.

This micro rant brough to you by an unexpected professional development coaching opportunity.

Show threadTaggartAug 30, 2025
@h2onolan That's why I made https://taggartinstitute.org/p/intro-to-the-linux-command-line
Intro to the Linux Command Line

The Taggart Institute exists to provide low-cost, high-quality technology training to everyone in a welcoming, supportive community.

Show threadWandering HermitAug 30, 2025

@mttaggart

Agreed. Proficiency in SQL may well be the most useful programming skill you will ever develop.

Show threadpadraigdAug 30, 2025
@mttaggart You can also use Python and SQL together to further yourself.
Show threadCyberFrogAug 30, 2025
@mttaggart I learned python, but to be real, I only have a basic understanding of SQL and proper data querying methods

although I'd say that tradeoff was nice, because I spent about 10 years programming and doing complex security work before I really ran into limitations with my knowledge of SQL, especially around exploits and cybersec stuff
Show threadFritz AdalisAug 30, 2025
@mttaggart
Master the JOIN.
Show threadviqAug 30, 2025
@mttaggart @catsalad especially combined with tools like steampipe or osquery
Show threadxyhhx 🔻Aug 30, 2025
@mttaggart as someone who taught themself how to code in 2009 (before orms were a thing), i do find it surprising how few people know sql
Show threadKrishean DraconisAug 30, 2025
@mttaggart pl/sql if you want it to be cursed and also procedural
Show threadNicole ParsonsAug 30, 2025

@mttaggart

Itzik Ben-Gan is a SQL hero.

Ditto Joe Celko, CJ Date, and Elizabeth Noble.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Celko

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_J._Date

Joe Celko - Wikipedia

Show threadIsaac Ji KuoAug 30, 2025

@mttaggart Why learn SQL, when you can instead make everyone develop using ORM and fire all the DBAs, except now the database is extremely inefficient and the data far more complex to manage and fix, so you have to hire more DBAs?

Or in other words, let me tell you how much I hate ORMs and wish C# programmers would have just learned SQL it's so much better god damn it.

Show threadTaggartAug 30, 2025
@isaackuo I feel about ORMs basically how many people feel about Docker
Show threadSu_GAug 30, 2025

@mttaggart
Thank you for writing this: “I humbly submit another language may serve you even better [than Python]

SQL.

Learning how relational data is queried, aggregated, and presented will translate to any number of processes.”

Learning SQL was transformational to my understanding & ability to use, to do, so many things. Same as Unix & C & relational databases & their underlying concepts. It’s good to see it valued. Thanks again. 👍

Show threadAngieAug 30, 2025
@mttaggart I learned this over 30 years ago. Along with cobol, Fortran, mark iv, and others of that time.
Show threadRodrigo DiasAug 30, 2025
SQL is indeed underrated for cybersecurity. So much data to dig through, and it's everywhere.