--- title: Relational Databases description: Relational databases organize data into structured tables linked by defined relationships. Learners will understand schema design, normalization, ACID transactions, and how to manage data integrity using relational database management systems like PostgreSQL and MySQL. category: programming-tech subcategory: databases difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced url: /subject/relational-databases --- # Relational Databases Relational databases organize data into structured tables linked by defined relationships. Learners will understand schema design, normalization, ACID transactions, and how to manage data integrity using relational database management systems like PostgreSQL and MySQL. ## Available Resources 1 Videos • 2 Books • 6 Courses • 4 Websites ## Courses ### 1. Introduction to Database Systems (15-445/645) Learn relational database systems from Carnegie Mellon's Andy Pavlo. Explore core concepts and implementations! **Difficulty:** Advanced | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://15445.courses.cs.cmu.edu/fall2024/ **Tags:** database-internals, query-optimization, storage-engines, concurrency-control, transactions ### 2. Intro to SQL: Querying and managing data Learn SQL fundamentals with Khan Academy! Master querying and managing data in this free introductory course. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/computer-programming/sql **Tags:** sql, databases, queries, interactive-tutorial ### 3. Relational Database Master SQL database concepts with freeCodeCamp's interactive Relational Database course. Build practical projects and gain valuable skills! **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn/relational-database/ **Tags:** sql, postgresql, relational-databases, bash, command-line ### 4. Databases and SQL for Data Science with Python **Author:** Rav Ahuja, Hima Vasudevan IBM course on Coursera teaching SQL for data work, from SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE through filtering, grouping, subqueries, joins, views, stored procedures and transactions. Labs query cloud databases from Jupyter notebooks with Python, ending in a project analysing real-world datasets. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.coursera.org/learn/sql-data-science **Tags:** sql, python, data-science, jupyter, relational-databases ### 5. Introduction to Relational Databases Database management systems are a crucial part of most large-scale industry and open-source systems. This course will introduce you to important concepts of database systems and design. We will learn what relational databases are, what they are used for, the theory underlying their design, and how to query and modify a database using the declarative SQL language. At the end of the course, you will be able to: - Describe what relational databases are, and how they are used. - Master the Relational Database Model. - Demonstrate proficiency in formal relational database theory. - Demonstrate comprehensive SQL skills. - Apply database knowledge to practical problems. Software Requirements: Jupyter Notebooks, SQL **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.coursera.org/learn/illinois-tech-introduction-to-relational-databases **Tags:** courses, technology-computer-science, database--backend ### 6. Advanced Relational Databases This course is one of five self-paced courses on the topic of Databases, originating as one of Stanford's three inaugural massive open online courses released in the fall of 2011. The original "Databases" courses are now all available on edx.org. This course is broad and practical, covering indexes, transactions, constraints, triggers, views, and authorization, all in the context of relational database systems and the SQL language. This course builds on concepts introduced in Databases: Relational Databases and SQL and is recommended for learners seeking to advance their understanding and use of relational databases. The Indexes and Transactions section of this course covers two important features of database systems from the application-builder's perspective: indexing for increased performance, and transactions for concurrency control and failure recovery. The Constraints and Triggers section of this course explains key, referential integrity, and "check" constraints, followed by comprehensive coverage of database triggers. The Views and Authorization section of this course provides extensive coverage of how database views can be created, used, and updated, and introduces standard techniques for authorization in relational databases. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.edx.org/learn/sql/stanford-university-databases-advanced-topics-in-sql **Tags:** courses, technology-computer-science, database--backend ## Websites ### 1. DB-Fiddle A browser-based playground where you paste schema and query SQL, choose a MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL or SQLite version, run it, and share the result by link. Useful for reproducing query behaviour and comparing engines without local installs. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.db-fiddle.com/ **Tags:** sql, sql-playground, postgresql, mysql, sqlite ### 2. MySQL 8.0 Reference Manual The official and most comprehensive documentation for MySQL. It's an invaluable resource for understanding all aspects of MySQL, from installation and configuration to advanced features, SQL syntax, and administration. While not a traditional 'book' in print, it functions as a highly detailed and authoritative reference available online for free. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/ **Tags:** mysql, documentation, sql-reference, database-administration ### 3. use-the-index-luke.com A practical guide to database indexing and query optimization, offering clear explanations of how indexes work, how to design them, and tutorials with SQL examples across major relational databases. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://use-the-index-luke.com **Tags:** websites, technology-computer-science, computer-sciences ### 4. sqlzoo.net SQLZoo.net is an interactive SQL learning resource offering free tutorials and hands-on practice with live databases. It provides step-by-step lessons and coding exercises on SQL topics (SELECT, JOIN, aggregation, etc.) with immediate feedback. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://sqlzoo.net **Tags:** websites, technology-computer-science, computer-sciences ## Videos ### 1. SQL Tutorial for Beginners **Author:** Mike Dane Four-hour freeCodeCamp course by Mike Dane using MySQL. Covers tables, keys, constraints, inserts and updates, basic queries, functions, wildcards, unions, joins, nested queries and triggers, plus ER diagrams, ending with a company-database project. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXV3zeQKqGY **Tags:** sql, mysql, relational-databases, joins, database-design ## Books ### 1. Fundamentals of Database Systems **Author:** Ramez Elmasri, Shamkant B. Navathe University textbook covering conceptual modelling with ER diagrams, the relational model and algebra, normalization theory, SQL, file organization and indexing, query processing and transaction management. Prepares readers to design a normalized schema and reason about how the engine executes it. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0805317538?tag=edmonddante07-20 **Tags:** books, technology-computer-science, database--backend ### 2. SQL and Relational Theory **Author:** C. J. Date Date argues SQL should be used as a disciplined implementation of the relational model, examining relations versus tables, nulls and three-valued logic, duplicate rows, view updating and constraints. Readers learn to spot where SQL departs from relational theory and write around it. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/1449316409?tag=edmonddante07-20 **Tags:** books, technology-computer-science, database--backend --- *This content is part of Dantes.io - Your Treasure Map to Knowledge* *Curated by humans at Dantes.io. Personal study use welcome; republishing this curation requires permission (team@dantes.io).* View this page online: https://dantes.io/subject/relational-databases