--- title: SQL description: SQL (Structured Query Language) is the standard language used to manage and manipulate relational databases. Learners will understand how to write queries, join tables, filter data, and perform CRUD operations to extract valuable insights from datasets. category: programming-tech subcategory: databases difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced url: /subject/sql --- # SQL SQL (Structured Query Language) is the standard language used to manage and manipulate relational databases. Learners will understand how to write queries, join tables, filter data, and perform CRUD operations to extract valuable insights from datasets. ## Available Resources 2 Videos • 4 Books • 5 Courses • 9 Websites ## Courses ### 1. SQL Tutorial Learn SQL with Mode's free tutorial! Master database querying and analysis with hands-on lessons from the Mode Team. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://mode.com/sql-tutorial/ **Tags:** sql, data-analysis, queries, analytics ### 2. SQL for Data Science As data collection has increased exponentially, so has the need for people skilled at using and interacting with data; to be able to think critically, and provide insights to make better decisions and optimize their businesses. This is a data scientist, “part mathematician, part computer scientist, and part trend spotter” (SAS Institute, Inc.). According to Glassdoor, being a data scientist is the best job in America; with a median base salary of $110,000 and thousands of job openings at a time. The skills necessary to be a good data scientist include being able to retrieve and work with data, and to do that you need to be well versed in SQL, the standard language for communicating with database systems. This course is designed to give you a primer in the fundamentals of SQL and working with data so that you can begin analyzing it for data science purposes. You will begin to ask the right questions and come up with good answers to deliver valuable insights for your organization. This course starts with the basics and assumes you do not have any knowledge or skills in SQL. It will build on that foundation and gradually have you write both simple and complex queries to help you select data from tables. You'll start to work with different types of data like strings and numbers and discuss methods to filter and pare down your results. You will create new tables and be able to move data into them. You will learn common operators and how to combine the data. You will use case statements and concepts like data governance and profiling. You will discuss topics on data, and practice using real-world programming assignments. You will interpret the structure, meaning, and relationships in source data and use SQL as a professional to shape your data for targeted analysis purposes. Although we do not have any specific prerequisites or software requirements to take this course, a simple text editor is recommended for the final project. So what are you waiting for? This is your first step in landing a job in the best occupation in the US and soon the world! **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.coursera.org/learn/sql-for-data-science **Tags:** sql, data-analysis, joins, case-statements, coursera ### 3. 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 ### 4. 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 ### 5. 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 ## Websites ### 1. PostgreSQL Tutorial A structured set of free PostgreSQL lessons covering SQL syntax, joins, subqueries, indexes, stored procedures, and administration, each with a sample database and runnable examples. After working through it you can write and tune everyday Postgres queries. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://neon.com/postgresql/tutorial **Tags:** postgresql, sql, joins, stored-procedures, indexes ### 2. Explain Extended **Author:** Alex Bolenok Long-running blog by Quassnoi devoted to SQL query performance, dissecting individual problems across MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server and Oracle with execution plans, timings and rewritten queries. Shows why an optimizer picks a plan and how rewrites change it. **Difficulty:** Advanced | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://explainextended.com/ **Tags:** query-optimization, sql-performance, execution-plans, indexes, postgresql ### 3. SQLite Tutorial Free lesson sequence teaching SQL through SQLite, from SELECT and joins through window functions, triggers, indexes and the command-line shell, using a sample chinook database. Suitable for practising SQL without configuring a server. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.sqlitetutorial.net/ **Tags:** sqlite, sql, joins, window-functions, embedded-database ### 4. LeetCode Database Problems LeetCode's database section collects several hundred SQL exercises graded by difficulty, run against sample schemas in the browser. Working through them builds fluency with joins, aggregation, window functions, and the query patterns interviewers ask about. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://leetcode.com/problemset/database/ **Tags:** sql, practice-problems, interview-prep, joins, window-functions ### 5. SQLBolt A sequence of short lessons, each paired with an in-browser exercise against a sample database, covering SELECT through joins, subqueries, and schema modification. Finishing it leaves you able to write and read everyday queries unaided. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://sqlbolt.com/ **Tags:** sql, interactive-tutorial, queries, joins, subqueries ### 6. w3schools.com/sql W3Schools SQL offers a beginner-friendly, interactive guide to SQL, with tutorials and reference covering core SQL commands, clauses, joins, functions, and data manipulation. It includes runnable examples and a “Try it Yourself” editor to practice directly in the browser. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://w3schools.com/sql **Tags:** websites, technology-computer-science, database--backend ### 7. SQLShack Free article library started by ApexSQL, written by SQL Server professionals, covering T-SQL, indexing, query tuning, backup and recovery, high availability, auditing and SSIS. Readers can follow step-by-step examples to administer, secure and tune SQL Server instances. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://sqlshack.com **Tags:** sql-server, t-sql, database-administration, performance-tuning, backup-and-recovery ### 8. 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 ### 9. 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. Learn SQL In 60 Minutes **Author:** Kyle Cook A one-hour Web Dev Simplified screencast covering SQL syntax end to end: creating tables, inserting and updating rows, filtering with WHERE, joins, aggregate functions and GROUP BY, with a companion GitHub repository of exercises to follow along. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3qvj9hO_Bo **Tags:** sql, mysql, joins, aggregate-functions, beginner-sql ### 2. 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. SQL in 10 Minutes, Sams Teach Yourself **Author:** Ben Forta Ben Forta's short lessons cover the core of standard SQL: SELECT, filtering, joins, subqueries, views, and stored procedures, with examples for several database engines. Finishing gives you working query skills without database-administration detail. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0672316641?tag=edmonddante07-20 **Tags:** books, technology-computer-science, database--backend ### 2. SQL Queries for Mere Mortals **Author:** Michael J. Hernandez, John L. Viescas A hands-on guide that teaches set-based thinking and query construction step by step, from simple SELECTs through joins, subqueries, grouping, and set operations, using five sample databases. Readers finish able to translate a plain-English request into working SQL. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0201433362?tag=edmonddante07-20 **Tags:** books, technology-computer-science, database--backend ### 3. MySQL Crash Course **Author:** Ben Forta Ben Forta teaches MySQL through thirty short lessons, each covering one task: retrieving and filtering rows, joins, subqueries, grouping, inserts and updates, views, stored procedures and triggers. Assumes no prior SQL and uses a sample database throughout. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0672327120?tag=edmonddante07-20 **Tags:** sql, mysql, queries, joins, stored-procedures ### 4. Learning SQL **Author:** Alan Beaulieu Alan Beaulieu's O'Reilly introduction works through MySQL examples, moving from single-table queries to joins, sets, subqueries, grouping, transactions, indexes, and views. Readers finish able to compose multi-table queries and reason about how a server executes them. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0596007272?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/sql