Agreed - For example in SQLAlchemy, you have: 1) Super high level - my_record_object.filter(whatever) 2) Common query api: my_table_object.select.where(whatev

Agreed - For example in SQLAlchemy, you have: 1) Super high level - my_record_object.filter(whatever) 2) Common query api: my_table_object.select.where(whatever).limit(whatever) etc etc 3) Straight up SQL execution: db_engine_object.connection.execute(Sql query as string) There are tools to safely interpolate arguments into SQL query templates for use in #3 too. What else could you want in the vast majority of applications?