Effective SQL: 61 Specific Ways to Write Better SQL, First Edition
by John L. Viescas, Douglas J. Steele, Ben G. Clothier
Overview
“Given the authors’ reputations, I expected to be
impressed. I was blown away! . . . Most SQL books sit on my shelf.
This one will live on my desk.”
–Roger Carlson, Microsoft Access MVP (2006-2015)
“Rather than stumble around reinventing wheels or catching
glimpses of the proper approaches, do yourself a favor: Buy this
book.”
—Dave Stokes, MySQL Community Manager, Oracle
Corporation
Effective SQL brings together practical solutions and
insights so you can solve complex problems with SQL and design
databases that simplify data management in the future. It’s
the only modern book that brings together advanced best practices
and realistic example code for all of these versions of SQL: IBM
DB2, Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle
Database, and PostgreSQL.
Drawing on their immense experience as world-class database
consultants and instructors, the authors identify 61 proven
approaches to writing better SQL. Wherever SQL versions vary, the
authors illuminate the key nuances, so you can get the most out of
whatever version you prefer. This full-color guide provides clear,
practical explanations; expert tips; and plenty of usable code.
Going far beyond mere syntax, it addresses issues ranging from
optimizing database designs to managing hierarchies and metadata.
If you already know SQL’s basics, this guide will help you
become a world-class SQL problem-solver.
Craft better logical data models, and fix flawed models
Implement indexes that improve query performance
Handle external data from sources you don’t control
Extract and aggregate the information you need, as efficiently as possible
Write more flexible subqueries
Analyze and retrieve metadata using your database platform of choice
Use Cartesian Products and Tally Tables to solve problems you can’t address with conventional JOINs
Model hierarchical data: managing SQL’s tradeoffs and shortcomings