SQL is an abstraction over relational algebra. Relational algebra is, for the most part, easy to grasp. You can use it to define a query tree trivially. Any to

SQL is an abstraction over relational algebra. Relational algebra is, for the most part, easy to grasp. You can use it to define a query tree trivially. Any tool that can map to that query tree has the same level of abstraction as SQL. Repeat after me, SQL is nothing special. Its semantics are extremely limited. Nothing it does can't really be done by LINQ or a similar DSL that maps to relational algebra operators.