> but I'd rather learn SQL than whatever custom-flavor-of-ORM-query-language some ORM tool created
This point is worth emphasizing!
When you application carries non-trivial business logic, it will create non-trivial DB access patterns.
The developer will either use SQL or some other language that, pragmatically speaking, translates to SQL. But either way, they will learn some DB expression.
I'd rather use a standard. Existing familiarity, easier to find docs, support, and is probably more bug-free, etc.
Another reason to use standard MySQL? ChatGPT is really good at writing, and modifying, SQL queries and the code that injects input into it.
You don't really have to write SQL anymore, you just tell chatgpt what you want changed and it works most the time. The times it doesn't, it gets you most of the way there.
This point is worth emphasizing!
When you application carries non-trivial business logic, it will create non-trivial DB access patterns.
The developer will either use SQL or some other language that, pragmatically speaking, translates to SQL. But either way, they will learn some DB expression.
I'd rather use a standard. Existing familiarity, easier to find docs, support, and is probably more bug-free, etc.