Cells, Queries, and Chaos: The Game of Life in SQL!

The article describes the development of Conway's Game of Life using SQL with a unique twist. Instead of using traditional methods with two storage tables, the implementation uses a single table with a single column. Each cell's state (alive or dead) and its next state are stored within two bits of a bitstring in the column. The author uses bitwise operations to calculate cell states based on the Game of Life rules. The process involves creating a grid represented as a table in PostgreSQL with rows and bitstring columns. Random initial states are generated and inserted into the grid. The code calculates neighbors, applies the rules of the Game of Life, and uses bitmasking to update the cell states for the next generation. The author emphasizes the challenges of implementing the game within the confines of SQL and showcases the ingenuity required to overcome them. The final step involves clearing the previous generation and updating the grid with the new cell states.