Single API for various Databases in Python

Question

I hold good experience in working with Perl DBI module.The DBI module acts as single API for multiple databases like Oracle, Postgres, etc.

I have recently started working on Python and I noticed that there are separate API for each databases in Python.

Following are my questions: 1. Isn't there single DB API in Python? 2. If not, isn't this a disadvantage in Python?

Answer 1

There is no Python equivalent to Perl's DBI-centric ecosystem. Instead:

• The DBAPI (PEP 249) defines a common low-level interface that relational database drivers are expected to provide.
• Some projects like SQLAlchemy Core abstract over multiple drivers, using the common DBAPI interface.

Python's lack of a proper DBI equivalent is less of a disadvantage than it would be in Perl due to the different module system. Assuming you are restricting yourself to a common SQL subset and to the DBAPI instead of using driver-specific extensions, switching to a different driver can be as simple as changing an import, and updating the connection information:

- import somedatabase as db
+ import differentdriver as db

In practice, neither Python's DBAPI nor Perl's DBI will enable you to switch databases at a whim. However, Perl's DBI makes it much easier to write software that works with multiple databases.