About

The name

I would like to say the name Relix (/ˈrɛlɪks/) came from a really clever acronym like RElational LIbrary eXecution engine. In reality, I just needed a name to refer to the project so I used a random name generator and picked one that sounded reasonable.

Before Relix

Two books contributed to the ideas that eventually ended up with Relix.

• Date, C. J. An Introduction to Database Systems. 4th ed. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1986. ISBN 0-201-14201-5.
• Microsoft. Microsoft Jet Database Engine Reference. 1st ed. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Press.

Both of these got me interested in relational algebra, query processing and optimisation.

I have had several attempts, over the years, to come up with a framework that would let me play around with the mechanics of query processing. Most started with SQL to some degree — I am also interested in lexers and parsers, so that seemed a logical starting point. With Relix, I decided to start with the maths, the algebra first, and just see where I went.

The author

Relix is written by David Tooke. I have been a software developer for many years, and for most of them the parts I have enjoyed most are the ones underneath: how a language is read, how an expression is turned into a plan, and why one plan is faster than another that returns the same rows. Relix is where I get to work on all three at once.

It is a personal project rather than a product, built in my own time, which is why it is shaped the way it is: the algebra comes first and the conveniences are added only where they do not obscure it. If that appeals to you, the manuals are the way in, and Support is where to send a question or a bug.

To get in touch with me directly, email david at darkcollective dot com, or find me on LinkedIn.