November 2025
Beginner
384 pages
9h 45m
English
Content preview from Data Engineering for Beginners
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CHAPTER 3Database Fundamentals
In the previous chapter, we touched on storage as a part of the data engineering life cycle. Now, let’s zoom in on one of the most important tools in that stage: databases. As a data engineer, you’re going to spend a lot of time working with databases, designing them and understanding how they work.
In this chapter, we’ll introduce you to the foundational concepts you need to start working with databases confidently. You’ll learn what they are, the different types that exist, and how to interact with them in a real-world context.
HERE’S WHAT WE’LL COVER:
- What databases are and why they matter
- The difference between relational and NoSQL databases
- Various types of NoSQL databases and their use cases
- Primary and foreign key concepts
- Interacting with databases using SQL
- Applying ACID principles
- Choosing the best type of database for your project
Databases are organized collections of data that allow for efficient storage, retrieval, and management of information. In any digital application or system, databases are the foundation for storing data, making them essential in nearly every industry. One of the key strengths of a database is that it allows data to be structured in a way that supports queries. A query is a request for information from a database. This ability to query data is what makes databases powerful for reporting, analysis, and decision-making.
The primary purpose of databases is to efficiently manage large volumes of data while ensuring ...
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O’Reilly covers everything we've got, with content to help us build a world-class technology community, upgrade the capabilities and competencies of our teams, and improve overall team performance as well as their engagement.Julian F.
I wanted to learn C and C++, but it didn't click for me until I picked up an O'Reilly book. When I went on the O’Reilly platform, I was astonished to find all the books there, plus live events and sandboxes so you could play around with the technology.Addison B.
I’ve been on the O’Reilly platform for more than eight years. I use a couple of learning platforms, but I'm on O'Reilly more than anybody else. When you're there, you start learning. I'm never disappointed.Amir M.
I'm always learning. So when I got on to O'Reilly, I was like a kid in a candy store. There are playlists. There are answers. There's on-demand training. It's worth its weight in gold, in terms of what it allows me to do.