PartiQL & SQL

PartiQL gives DynamoDB a SQL-like syntax — but it's SELECT/INSERT/UPDATE over a single table, not a query engine. There's no JOIN, no GROUP BY, no SUM across items. If you write SQL out of habit, PartiQL will quietly map a familiar statement onto a full-table Scan and bill you for it.

This section sets honest expectations for PartiQL, then shows how DynoTable's SQL Workbench does the things PartiQL can't — JOIN, GROUP BY, and aggregates — client-side over a bounded result set, staying inside DynamoDB's access-pattern rules.

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DynamoDB PartiQL vs SQL: What's Different (and What Breaks)

DynamoDB PartiQL looks like SQL but isn't — no JOIN, GROUP BY, subqueries, or aggregates. Here's what's different, what breaks, and how DynoTable's SQL Workbench runs the queries PartiQL can't.

Beginner7 min read

PartiQL for DynamoDB by Example

PartiQL for DynamoDB by example — SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE with SQL-like syntax, plus the gotchas around partition keys and full-table scans.

Beginner2 min read

SQL for DynamoDB: What Works, What Doesn't, and the Workbench

Can you query DynamoDB with SQL? PartiQL is SQL-flavored but limited — no JOIN, GROUP BY, or aggregates. See what works, what doesn't, and how DynoTable runs real SQL.

Beginner7 min read

DynamoDB JOIN: How to Join Tables (and Why You Usually Can't)

DynamoDB has no JOIN and PartiQL doesn't add one. Why, the four workarounds devs use, and how DynoTable's SQL Workbench runs a real JOIN.