SQL (Structured Query Language) is a programming language for database management with relational databases. Understanding how SQL works will enable you to become a backend or full stack developer. SQL allows you to read, update, and manage data stored in databases efficiently. In this guide, we will explore the fundamentals of SQL and why it’s so important to learn as a programmer.
Key Characteristics
- SQL is a declarative language, meaning you specify what data you want to read, update, or delete, and the database management system will execute the query.
- SQL is used primarily with relational databases. Relational databases organize data into tables with rows and columns.
- SQL can perform a wide range of actions from simple data retrieval to complex data analysis.
Why SQL Is Important
SQL is the backbone of data management in relational databases.
Practically all websites and businesses that store data use databases and use SQL to manage the databases. Mastering SQL is a valuable asset to have as a programmer.
SQL queries are very simple and fast, making data management very efficient, even when working with data tables with billions of rows.
Basic Syntax
SQL is a unique language such that the SQL commands are commonly typed in all uppercase letters like so:
sqlSELECT column1 FROM table1
This helps you quickly analyze what a queries goal is since you can easily spot out the commands in the query.
SQL Best Practices
When working with databases that store essential data for a company, it is crucial that programmers follow these best practices:
- Use meaningful table and column names.
- Normalize your database (we will discuss this further on the SQL Normalization page).
- Avoid using
select *statements unless you absolutely need to retrieve all columns. - Don’t overuse indexes. While indexes help speed up the performance of your queries, overusing them can slow down insert, update, and delete operations.
Conclusion
SQL is an extremely powerful programming languages and can be utilize to perform essential operations. Building your skills as a SQL programmer will grant you possibilities for working in database management, data analysis, data science, and application development roles. While this guide was just an introduction to SQL and its many capabilities, we will discuss SQL in further detail throughout this section.