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Learning basic SQL

18 posts & 11 voices | Started 4 months ago by SilentSparky | Latest reply from brassneck

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SilentSparky - Member

How hard is it to learn basic SQL? I'm potentially being put forward for a role internally which involves SQL, Teradata & MS SQL Server, I used some sort of SQL coding on a online data dashboard project around 7 years ago but cannot remember too much of it.

They're aware it is not one of strengths, but I'd like a quick readup over the next few weeks, so I at least have a grasp of any discussions that come up in the interview.

I'm pretty competent using Excel (marco's etc...) and can put together an Access database so am not totally IT illiterate, any pointers to a SQL for dummies type guides (preferable online).

Posted 4 months ago #
IHN - Member

How hard is it to learn basic SQL?

Not very. Especially if you have an understabding of how relational DB's are structured, which it sounds like you do

Posted 4 months ago #
Cougar - Member

"Basic" SQL is one of the easiest things you could ever have to learn. Good SQL is one of the hardest.

Posted 4 months ago #
titusrider - Member

SQL is not too difficult, i picked it up from a non- IT background on a week long course and was fairly happy after that. Getting my head properly around group by took at bit longer though!

I would say after 3 years at it now i can do (or find out how to do!) pretty much anything.

dont really know of any on line courses or anything but MSDN will sort you out in most cases. Main thing i would say is to just start writing it. If you can just do a bit of basic training and then get on with it (ideally with someone who you can go to with Q's) then you will be fine

Do you have anywhere you can install SQL Express and adventure works? that should sort you out for a bit of a learning/ sandpit environment if you cant play with a dev area.

Posted 4 months ago #
stabilizers - Member

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/bb291022.aspx

You might find something in there.

Posted 4 months ago #
SilentSparky - Member

Thanks for the feedback, I understand how DB's string together and generally pickup systems quickly so its good to hear its not rocket science. I'll have a dig through that MS link and see how I get on.

Posted 4 months ago #
brassneck - Member

"Basic" SQL is one of the easiest things you could ever have to learn. Good SQL is one of the hardest.

So true. Also, be prepared to at least have a look at your code when your infrastructure guys tell you the app server is getting killed when certain queries run, it'll win you lots of friends

Posted 4 months ago #
mogrim - Member

Like titusrider says, download SQL Server Express and have a play, it's free.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/sqlserver/bb671408.aspx

Stuff like creating databases, tables, relationships, inserting and querying data is pretty easy - at least initially. It rapidly gets harder when you have more than a couple of tables in play, and designing a "proper" database which a) works and b) will still work in three years' time is a whole different thing.

Posted 4 months ago #
titusrider - Member

Yeah Mogrim makes a good point, dont let them make you design and (less critically) build an enterprise critical DB as a first project.

A bit of reporting off an existing DB or a simple app db build is a more realistic first stab!

(all if unassisted)

Posted 4 months ago #
MrFart - Member

W3Schools is ok for learning the basics if you already know a bit about relational DBs.

Posted 4 months ago #
toby1 - Member

Select * from not_as_hard_as_it_looks;

Tech on the net can teach you (or remind you) of enough to get you through querying most databases, but yeah, like those on here have said it can get really messy if you get into design and architecture.

Depends on the roll you do and what you need it for really.

Posted 4 months ago #
BigEaredBiker - Member

What's been said about it being easy but hard is very true.

I have seen some terrible coding done in T-SQL by people who should know better. If your company has a DBA a chat with them about what it is you are doing is well advised.

Infrastructure teams especially those that don't 'get' SQL Server get miffed when they have to put a database onto a server with 16 CPU's and 32Gb of Ram when because the coders did a poor job on the design and don't know to ensure good table relationships, create useful indexes or think about column statistics.

W3Schools is good to get started, then one of the dummies books and then 'T-SQL Querying' by Itzik Ben-Gan for the language and Christan Bolton's book for how the SQL Server DB engine works and can be tuned.

Once you have that lot mastered give me a call, I'll probably have a job for you

Posted 4 months ago #
SilentSparky - Member

There is an existing data warehouse which I'll be extracting the data from, so I believe its just SQL it to extract certain information.

I'll get reading this evening

Posted 4 months ago #
BigEaredBiker - Member

Depending on what you are going to do with the data you extract from the DWH learning some SSIS might also be worth while.

I'll also add that you might find it helpful to keep an eye on Simple-Talk, and SQL Server Central.

Some good blogs and twitter feeds are written by people like David Ballantyne, Pinal Dave, Kimberly Tripp and Brent Ozar to name a few if you get really into it.

Learning good SQL is well worth the effort. The language is not going to disappear any time soon (despite ORM's and NoSQL). It is one that evolves rather than being made redundant overnight.

Good Luck and feel free to drop me an email if you get really stuck.

BEB

Posted 4 months ago #
titusrider - Member

oh if you can wangle the training budget or fancy coming along to the saturday for free come to :
http://sqlbits.com/

anyone else going?

As per BEB happy to have an email if you need anything

Posted 4 months ago #
BigEaredBiker - Member

Yes, I might be there. I need to see what I can get from the training or conference budgets. I will likely be at the free Saturday, and maybe the crappy code games if they run that again this year. It was good for food, beer, and networking last year.

Posted 4 months ago #
MrGreedy - Member

SQLCourse.com was recommended on here previously. Not used it yet myself, but looks like a pretty good start at least.

Posted 4 months ago #
brassneck - Member

Infrastructure teams especially those that don't 'get' SQL Server get miffed when they have to put a database onto a server with 16 CPU's and 32Gb of Ram when because the coders did a poor job on the design and don't know to ensure good table relationships, create useful indexes or think about column statistics.

Do I know you?

Luckily a few of our guys do get SQL - but the developers tend to have a hissy fit when they suggest some err... optimisations - apparently it's because it's virtualised

Posted 4 months ago #