First introduced in the early 1970s, SQL (Standardized Query Language) was initially used by IBM to maintain its database management system. Fast forward to today, and SQL is the standard language for most relational database management systems. It’s the fundamental programming language used to update, retrieve, and work with data, which is why virtually everybody benefits from learning SQL. From financial services and government offices to tech startups and media companies, many different kinds of organizations employ a database to store their information. As companies collect more and more data, they’re seeking talented developers with top notch SQL skills to help manage their growing databases. Whether you’re interested in learning about SQL or refreshing your skills and knowledge, here are some resources to help you on your way.
DataCamp SQL Course
DataCamp, a website hosting interactive online courses for machine learning and statistics, offers a free, four-hour Intro to SQL course with a focus on data science. With over 49,000 participants and counting, the course features 41 exercises and chapters providing instruction on filtering rows, aggregate functions and more. This course is designed to help developers learn SQL for the purpose of data science, but offers a useful introduction to help anyone begin to feel comfortable working with databases.
w3schools.com SQL Tutorial
W3Schools offers a comprehensive SQL tutorial to help developers learn about Oracle, MySQL, SQL Server, and more. The tutorial offers step-by-step explainers, examples, practice questions in its online SQL editor, and quizzes to help developers understand how SQL works on different systems. It also offers a quick reference guide for SQL syntax, which is very handy for developers both new and experienced.
Learn SQL App
If you prefer to learn at your own pace, Sololearn Inc. has created a free mobile app to teach SQL skills. The top-rated app offers developers an interactive learning experience where they can start and stop lessons as they please. The app is gamified, giving developers the opportunity to earn points, unlock new levels and compete with other app users around the world for bragging rights. The app walks through a series of SQL-focused topics including functions, retrieving and filtering data, joining multiple tables, and more. The Learn SQL app is great for beginners who want to learn SQL via a convenient and flexible medium. There’s no doubt that SQL is a transferable skill well-suited to any developer’s toolbox. The language is fairly standardized and thus useful across many databases, but may require minor syntax adjustments from system to system. If you’re keen on working closely with data and databases, then you’ll benefit from top-notch SQL skills.