Getting Started with SQL

Preface

Nobody needs to learn how a car engine works in order to drive a car. The whole point of technologies like SQL is to allow you to focus on the business problem, and not worry about how the technical details are executed. This book will give you a practical focus on using SQL, and will steer away from unnecessary technical details that are likely not pertinent to your immediate needs. Much of the content revolves around hands-on exercises with real databases you can download so you see how concepts are applied. When you finish this book you will have practical knowledge to work with databases, as well as use them to overcome your business challenges.

How to Use This Book

This book is designed to teach the fundamentals of SQL and working with databases. Readers who have experience using Excel spreadsheets should find this material accessible but still challenging. Individuals who have not worked with Excel may be more challenged. It is helpful to be familiar with concepts used in Excel, such as rows, columns, tables, mathematical expressions (e.g., Excel formulas), and aggregate calculations (e.g., SUM, AVG, MIN, MAX, COUNT). These concepts will still be taught here, but some practical Excel experience will help expedite understanding.

Basic computer literacy is required, and readers should know how to navigate folders and copy/paste files, as well as download and save files from the Web.

As you go through the material, have a computer on hand to practice the examples. ...