Michael Gaare: Making SQL More Like Datomic With Clojure

After experiencing Datomic, going back to working on an app backed by a SQL database can feel a bit like wearing that old shirt from high school that's shrunk in the washer (even though we're definitely the same size): tight, confining, somewhat undignified, and just not a good look. The way Datomic seamlessly handles complex domain entities with multiple, possibly nested relationships in particular is so much more pleasant than what the relational model offers. Wouldn't it be nice if you could just describe the shape of the data you wanted out of a SQL database, and have it give you back a map with exactly what you wanted without having to deal with the complexity of multiple queries, joins, ORMs, and all the other object-relational impedance mismatch baggage? This talk explores how with the power of Clojure, ideas from Datomic, and a little DSL, we can do just that.