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SQL Primer: An Accelerated Introduction to SQL Basics
Build a core level of competency in SQL so you can recognize the parts of queries and write simple SQL statements. SQL knowledge is essential for anyone involved in programming, data science, and data management. This book covers features of SQL that are standardized and common across most database vendors. You will gain a base of knowledge that will prepare you to go deeper into the specifics of any database product you might encounter.
Examples in the book are worked in PostgreSQL and SQLite, but the bulk of the examples are platform agnostic and will work on any database platform supporting SQL. Early in the book you learn about table design, the importance of keys as row identifiers, and essential query operations. You then move into more advanced topics such as grouping and summarizing, creating calculated fields, joining data from multiple tables when it makes business sense to do so, and more. Throughout the book, you are exposed to a set-based approach to the language and are provided a good grounding in subtle but important topics such as the effects of null value on query results. With the explosion of data science, SQL has regained its prominence as a top skill to have for technologists and decision makers worldwide. SQL Primer will guide you from the very basics of SQL through to the mainstream features you need to have a solid, working knowledge of this important, data-oriented language.
What You'll Learn
Create and populate your own database tables
Read SQL queries and understand what they are doing
Execute queries that get correct results
Bring together related rows from multiple tables
Group and sort data in support of reporting applications
Get a grip on nulls, normalization, and other key concepts
Employ subqueries, unions, and other advanced features
Who This Book Is For
Anyone new to SQL who is looking for step-by-step guidance toward understanding and writing SQL queries. The book is aimed at those who encounter SQL statements often in their work, and provides a sound baseline useful across all SQL database systems. Programmers, database managers, data scientists, and business analysts all can benefit from the baseline of SQL knowledge provided in this book.
Examples in the book are worked in PostgreSQL and SQLite, but the bulk of the examples are platform agnostic and will work on any database platform supporting SQL. Early in the book you learn about table design, the importance of keys as row identifiers, and essential query operations. You then move into more advanced topics such as grouping and summarizing, creating calculated fields, joining data from multiple tables when it makes business sense to do so, and more. Throughout the book, you are exposed to a set-based approach to the language and are provided a good grounding in subtle but important topics such as the effects of null value on query results. With the explosion of data science, SQL has regained its prominence as a top skill to have for technologists and decision makers worldwide. SQL Primer will guide you from the very basics of SQL through to the mainstream features you need to have a solid, working knowledge of this important, data-oriented language.
What You'll Learn
Create and populate your own database tables
Read SQL queries and understand what they are doing
Execute queries that get correct results
Bring together related rows from multiple tables
Group and sort data in support of reporting applications
Get a grip on nulls, normalization, and other key concepts
Employ subqueries, unions, and other advanced features
Who This Book Is For
Anyone new to SQL who is looking for step-by-step guidance toward understanding and writing SQL queries. The book is aimed at those who encounter SQL statements often in their work, and provides a sound baseline useful across all SQL database systems. Programmers, database managers, data scientists, and business analysts all can benefit from the baseline of SQL knowledge provided in this book.
187 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 15, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 3, 2019
The data scientists I've talked to who work in industry offer same advice: Learn SQL! So once I decided to learn SQL, I remembered that Ben LeRoy recommended this book to me a couple months back, so I decided to read through it.
I was very happy with this book: It's similar in spirit to "A Whirlwind Tour of Python" by Jake Vanderplas. Not only was I able to read it in a short period of time (2/3 hours a day, 3 days in a row), but I also got SQLite running on my laptop, so I was able to run many of the queries myself as I worked through the book.
My only complaint is that I wanted a little more on database design, since I've been trying to learn more about Data Modeling in general. And given the author's strengths at explaining concepts, it would have been great to have more on data modeling here. But overall, I would definitely recommend this book.
I was very happy with this book: It's similar in spirit to "A Whirlwind Tour of Python" by Jake Vanderplas. Not only was I able to read it in a short period of time (2/3 hours a day, 3 days in a row), but I also got SQLite running on my laptop, so I was able to run many of the queries myself as I worked through the book.
My only complaint is that I wanted a little more on database design, since I've been trying to learn more about Data Modeling in general. And given the author's strengths at explaining concepts, it would have been great to have more on data modeling here. But overall, I would definitely recommend this book.
April 14, 2020
Does a pretty simple wrap up of the basics and what's what. A good source for when you don't know where to start. And it gives pretty good recommendations to other sources as well.
I read it because I was introduced to SQL rather unorthodoxly and even though I was comfortable with it to a certain level, I wanted to know what I didn't know.
This book however is targeted towards a beginner level as it gives a detailed guiding from installing a management system to step by step examples and explanations.
I read it because I was introduced to SQL rather unorthodoxly and even though I was comfortable with it to a certain level, I wanted to know what I didn't know.
This book however is targeted towards a beginner level as it gives a detailed guiding from installing a management system to step by step examples and explanations.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews