iciql/docs/00_index.mkd

## Overview

iciql **is**...

- a model-based, database access wrapper for JDBC
- for modest database schemas and basic statement generation
- for those who want to write code, instead of SQL, using IDE completion and compile-time type-safety
- small (200KB) with debug symbols and no runtime dependencies
- pronounced *icicle* (although it could be French: *ici ql* - here query language)
- a friendly fork of the H2 [JaQu][jaqu] project

iciql **is not**...

- a complete alternative to JDBC
- designed to compete with more powerful database query tools like [jOOQ][jooq] or [Querydsl][querydsl]
- designed to compete with enterprise [ORM][orm] tools like [Hibernate][hibernate] or [mybatis][mybatis]

### Example Usage
<table class="table">
<tr>
<th>iciql</th><th>sql</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
%BEGINCODE%
Product p = new Product();
List<Product> restock = db.from(p).where(p.unitsInStock).is(0).select();
List<Product> all = db.executeQuery(Product.class, "select * from products");
%ENDCODE%

</td><td>
<br/>
select * from products p where p.unitsInStock = 0<br/>
select * from products
</td>
</tr>
</table>

### Supported Databases (Unit-Tested)
- [H2](http://h2database.com) ${h2.version}
- [HSQLDB](http://hsqldb.org) ${hsqldb.version}
- [Derby](http://db.apache.org/derby) ${derby.version}
- [MySQL](http://mysql.com) ${mysql.version}
- [PostgreSQL](http://postgresql.org) ${postgresql.version}

Support for others is possible and may only require creating a simple "dialect" class.

### Java Runtime Requirement

iciql requires a Java 6 Runtime Environment (JRE) or a Java 6 Development Kit (JDK).
 
### License
iciql is distributed under the terms of the [Apache Software Foundation license, version 2.0][apachelicense]

[jaqu]: http://h2database.com/html/jaqu.html "H2 JaQu project"
[orm]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object-relational_mapping "Object Relational Mapping"
[jooq]: http://jooq.sourceforge.net "jOOQ"
[querydsl]: http://source.mysema.com/display/querydsl/Querydsl "Querydsl"
[hibernate]: http://www.hibernate.org "Hibernate"
[mybatis]: http://www.mybatis.org "mybatis"
[github]: http://github.com/gitblit/iciql "iciql git repository"
[googlecode]: http://code.google.com/p/iciql "iciql project management"
[apachelicense]: http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 "Apache License, Version 2.0"