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5 keys to understanding SQL

sql and non-sql databases

Order within chaos. This is perhaps the most concise answer to the question of what is SQL when we perform a data request action. Many resources can help us to improve our ways of working. However, there are options that we should always keep in mind to streamline any process related to the data analysis. In this sense, a thorough understanding of what is available to us Microsoft SQL server will be essential. To learn more about SQL in depth serverFor your part, it is also highly recommended to have an acceptable level of English. After all, this is a computer language with many terms in English.

What is SQL and when is it used?

It is not easy to quickly explain what SQL is and what it is used for. There are university degrees, official master's degrees and specific certificate courses in which they go into depth about SQL. advantages and disadvantages of a SQL server. However, we could explain in a simple way what SQL is or how SQL works. server. To do this, we will try to make simple comparisons.

Firstly, we have a programming language which communicates with commands. These are entered into the databases. The communication between these processes is what the SQL in basic terms. Like all languages, we must also learn the syntax of SQL. This language will allow us to working comfortably with data and relate them among them. As it is difficult, even experts have to keep up to date all the time. In this respect, we can look for short-term training courses to keep us up to date.

Based on this starting point, we will try to determine the key points. Sometimes the keys simply offer us star functionalities for the tools we use. On other occasions, these explanations can help us to deepen the knowledge that we have already acquired previously. In any case, we could specify five main keys to understand their usefulness.

Instruction through SQL clause

The SQL grammar has sequences, which are called clauses instead of statements. One of the most common SQL clauses are those used to obtain a complete description within a set of data you are working with. Their name is SELECT. For example, it helps us to see in which spaces contain the data we are interested in. With structured listsA simple search will return those data within the database that match our search. Other clauses are:

  • FROM.
  • WHERE.
  • ORDER BY.
  • GROUP BY.
  • HAVING.

SQL Terms

To further understand a language, we must delve deeper into the structure with which it is formed. If sentences were called clauses, each part that makes up a clause is called a term. Terms in SQL are comparable to the elements of sentences in any language, such as English or Spanish. As we already know, a language is divided by words, which can be of different kinds. Also in SQL language there are different kinds of terms or words. We will distinguish four types:

  • Identifier (similar to our noun). It is the term by which we will refer to the objects in the database, as if it were the field name we give to a job.
  • Operator (like our verb or adverb): is a key word used to modify or represent an action.
  • Constant (as a noun): permanent and unchanging values, such as numbers or null fields within a base.
  • Expression (adjective-like): combinations of identifiers (nouns), operators (verbs or adverbs) and concrete functions to analyse or evaluate the result as if it were a single value.

Uses of efficient clauses

When we start working with SQL, we often only know basic clauses. As we go deeper in courses or specialisations, we must use those more complex functions, which sometimes are the ones that make our work easier. Order the results, work with summary data or combine the results we get from our consultations are the best steps.

Data standardisation

Sometimes, SQL languages are not going to work if we are working with non-quality databases. In this sense, cleaning and normalising our databases is essential. Although they are long - and not very grateful - jobs, the analysis tool will work much better and will allow us to achieve what we want in a short time. And, above all, effortlessly. To work more on this part, we can take courses in structured data.

Constant learning

There is no such thing as an eternal professional without continuing education. Therefore, if we want to continue learning SQL, we must continue our training while we already know the frequent uses of the clauses we need. We can use the online courses for this, to continue to generate interest in new features and to learn issues that make our work more curious. For example, to get used to write full names in our database will save us time.

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