"Dont forget that SQL database still send raw text as request and get raw text in return!" Depending on your database adapter, this is not the case. With Postg

"Dont forget that SQL database still send raw text as request and get raw text in return!" Depending on your database adapter, this is not the case. With Postgres, you have the Simple Query Protocol and the Extended Query Protocol (http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.3/static/protocol-flow.html http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.3/static/protocol-flow.html). A Simple Query involves text in and out. However with an Extended Query, properly parsed statements are always executed by the DB, and will always return properly typecasted data. You can also stream data to the client and use Cursors, if you have very large datasets (a life saver when reporting on large tables). Also, you don’t need to worry about SQL injection when using Extended Queries, as they are handled as prepared statements. JDBC supports the Extended Query Protocol with Postgres, so if you are using Java, Scala, JRuby, or anything running on the JVM, you are good to go. But, I have not had to deal with raw text being returned from my Postgres queries in a long time ;)