Learning the basics of SQL is the first step to working with databases. It teaches you how to retrieve, update, and analyze data—skills that are essential for anyone new to SQL. Below is a list of articles that will guide you through the essential SQL concepts. These articles are simple to follow and include practical exercises to give you hands-on experience. Whether you're writing your first query or reviewing core concepts, these resources will help you solidify your understanding of SQL basics. 11 Sep 2023 Valentyn Kucherenko An SQL Basics Primer for Non-IT Professionals You don’t need to be an IT professional to understand SQL. Our quick primer of SQL basics is perfect for beginners without any computer science or programming background. If you’ve ever tried to learn a new software program, you know it takes more than just a few minutes. But it doesn’t mean you can’t learn it! The same is true if you want to learn SQL and databases. Even if you don’t have an IT background, you can do it. Read more 7 Jul 2020 Agnieszka Kozubek-Krycuń What Is a SQL Dialect, and Which one Should You Learn? SQL, standard SQL, SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, … You’d like to learn SQL, but you feel overwhelmed with options and you don’t know where to start. We’ll explain what each of these terms mean and what this has to do with SQL dialects. Diving into the world of SQL dialects can feel like jumping into a deep pool without knowing how to swim. There's a ton of stuff to pick up! Read more 17 Apr 2020 Agnieszka Kozubek-Krycuń Why Take the “SQL Basics” Course at LearnSQL.com LearnSQL.com’s interactive SQL Basics course teaches the foundations of SQL. Discover why we built this online course, our philosophy behind it, and what it contains! Learning SQL can feel like unlocking a new skill set you didn’t even know you needed. At first, it might seem like just another technical tool, but as you start using it, you'll notice how much smoother your workflow becomes. Suddenly, tasks like pulling data from multiple sources or answering complex questions about trends won’t feel as overwhelming. Read more 25 Sep 2020 LearnSQL.com Team SQL Basics Cheat Sheet Download this 2-page SQL Basics Cheat Sheet in PDF or PNG format, print it out, and stick to your desk. The SQL Basics Cheat Sheet provides you with the syntax of all basics clauses, shows you how to write different conditions, and has examples. You can download this cheat sheet as follows: Download 2-page SQL Basics Cheat Sheet in PDF format (A4) Download 2-page SQL Basics Cheat Sheet in PDF format (Letter) Download 1-page SQL Basics Cheat Sheet in PDF format (A3) Download 1-page SQL Basics Cheat Sheet in PDF format (Ledger) Download SQL Basics Cheat Sheet in mobile-friendly PDF You may also read the contents here: Read more Latest Articles 10 Jun 2025 Jakub Romanowski How to Write SQL Queries Anyone Can Understand Writing SQL that works is one thing. Writing SQL that someone else can read and say, "Oh, I get it!" is a whole different level. And honestly? It's one of the most useful things you can learn if you work with data. Whether you're building reports, analyzing customer behavior, or answering a quick question from your boss, you’ll probably use SQL. And if that SQL is messy or confusing, you'll slow everyone down – including yourself. Read more 5 Jun 2025 Agnieszka Kozubek-Krycuń SQL Queries You'll Actually Use in Real Life Learn the essential SQL queries that data analysts, marketers, and product teams rely on every day – with simple, relatable examples. When you're just starting with SQL, it's easy to get overwhelmed by syntax and theory. But here’s the truth: most professionals – whether they’re data analysts, marketers, or product managers – use a small set of SQL queries over and over to get real work done. You don’t need to learn everything at once. Read more 17 Apr 2025 Agnieszka Kozubek-Krycuń Free Databases for Beginners: Where to Start? Not sure which database to start with? Here are the best free options for beginners along with why they’re great for learning SQL. If you're new to databases, one of the first questions you’ll probably ask is: Which database engine should I start with? With so many options available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. SQL databases power everything from small applications to massive enterprise systems, but not all of them are beginner-friendly. Read more 25 Mar 2025 Jakub Romanowski What do our Users Think About the SQL Basics Course? Learning the basics of SQL is honestly one of the best decisions you can make right now. Think about how many industries rely on data – marketing, finance, tech, and even healthcare. In this article, I’ll show you why the SQL Basics course at LearnSQL.com is so popular and how it’s helped over 350,000 people level up their SQL skills. This awesome and interactive course has everything you need to get started. Read more 20 Mar 2025 Valentyn Kucherenko SQL 101: a Beginner’s Guide to SQL Database Programming In this article, I will introduce you to the concept of SQL and give you the very first lesson about how SQL can help you navigate the world of relational databases with speed and precision. This SQL 101 is designed to make your learning smooth, offering clear explanations and practical examples to help you build a solid foundation in SQL. Data is part of almost everything you do. Whether you’re shopping online, checking your bank balance, or booking an Uber ride, databases store and manage the information behind the scenes. Read more 6 Mar 2025 Agnieszka Kozubek-Krycuń What are the Differences Between Database Engines? An Overview for Beginners If SQL is a standard language, why do databases like MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, and PostgreSQL all exist? Do their differences matter? This article explains what sets them apart and why it’s useful to know – even if you’re not a database expert. My husband is a software tester. Occasionally, he uses SQL to pull data from a database – like checking if a user with access to three open projects sees the correct list, or modifying data for testing purposes. Read more 6 Feb 2025 Ekre Ceannmor SQL Query Syntax Looking for a quick overview of SQL query syntax? In this article, we will discuss the building blocks of a simple SQL query. Are you starting to learn SQL and wondering about the proper way to structure an SQL query? In this article, we will discuss what a query is and what is the proper way to construct one. We’ll also include some helpful examples. Ready? Let’s get started with a very basic question: Read more 4 Feb 2025 Jakub Romanowski How SQL can Make Your Life as an Accountant Easier SQL for accountants is a powerful tool that takes your work beyond the limits of Excel. If you’ve ever faced a giant spreadsheet that refuses to load or spent hours on repetitive tasks, SQL can make your life so much easier. Let’s be real: Excel is great, but there comes a point when it’s just not enough. If you’ve ever stared at a giant spreadsheet that takes forever to load, you’ll know what I mean. Read more 24 Dec 2024 Jakub Romanowski SQL For Busy Professionals: How to Master SQL Without Quitting Your Day Job Learning SQL can boost your career without turning your life upside down. No need to sacrifice your weekends or evenings—in this guide, I’ll show you how to build SQL skills in small, manageable steps that fit right into your busy day. For many professionals juggling meetings, deadlines, and family commitments, learning SQL might seem impossible. But here's the good news: you don't need to quit your day job or find endless free time—you just need smart strategies that fit into your daily routine. Read more 17 Dec 2024 Jakub Romanowski Rookie SQL Mistakes That Can Cost You Time As a junior data analyst, learning SQL can be both rewarding and challenging. It allows you to understand data and extract valuable insights, but common SQL mistakes often become frustrating barriers. In this guide, I’ve compiled the most frequent rookie SQL mistakes and how to avoid them, to help you save time and improve your skills more effectively. Initially, learning SQL was often frustrating due to minor errors that took hours to debug. Read more 19 Sep 2024 Tihomir Babic SQL Basics: The Complete Resource List If you want to work with data, you have to start by learning the SQL basics! In this article, you’ll get an overview of core SQL concepts and syntax. Plus, we include links to great resources if you want to learn more! Structured Query Language, or SQL, is a programming language that first appeared in 1974. It is designed for managing data in relational databases, which means storing, changing, deleting, and querying the data inside the database. Read more 25 Jul 2024 Kamila Ostrowska What Is CRUD? What is CRUD? In this article, we’ll explore the meaning of this acronym and its significance in the world of SQL and data analysis. CRUD is an acronym that stands for Create, Read, Update, and Delete. These are the four basic operations that can be performed on data stored in a database or other data storage systems. CRUD operations are fundamental to data management and are commonly implemented in database management systems (DBMSs), web applications, and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Read more 23 Jul 2024 Alexandre Bruffa Types of Databases Explained As an IT student or specialist, you can be sure that databases will be a key element of your professional life. So, you’ll need to understand the many types of databases available – what they do, when to use them, and how they’re different. That’s what we’ll cover in this article. Social media, online banking, e-commerce, AI assistants, and even your mobile phone could not exist without a database! Databases are essential for keeping data accessible and secure in any modern digital product. Read more 17 Aug 2023 Tihomir Babic 20 Basic SQL Query Examples for Beginners These 20 basic queries are a must in a starter pack for every SQL beginner. These examples will get you going on your journey to mastering SQL. You’ve set your mind on learning SQL, googled ‘basic sql query examples’ or something similar, and here you are staring at this article. Now what? All learning starts with the basics, so let’s start with the most basic question: What Is SQL? Read more 16 May 2023 Dmitri Vaitkun The Most Important SQL Commands In this article, we'll explore the most common SQL commands that everyone should know, including SELECT, INSERT, WHERE and more. We’ll also give examples of how to use each command. Are you ready to dive into the world of databases? SQL, or Structured Query Language, is a programming language that is designed specifically to interact with databases. It allows you to manipulate the data in databases in multiple ways – e. Read more 1 May 2023 How to Use Multiple WHERE Conditions in a Single Query Problem: You want to apply multiple conditions to filter the data you want to retrieve. Example 1: A company has its employee data stored in the table employees with the columns empId, empName, dept, and salary. empIdempNamedeptsalary 1Anthony VillaSales3400.00 2Megan WhitneyHR4000.00 3Clayton CruzFinance3500.00 4Ahmed LiFinance4150.00 5Anna NewtonManager6450.00 6Filip SchaeferHR2850.00 Let’s say you want to find all who work in the Finance department and are paid more than 4,000. Read more 30 Jan 2023 How to Check ‘Is Not Equal’ in SQL Problem You want to check if two values are not equal in SQL. Example A social platform’s database has a table named employees with data in the columns first_name, last_name, and hire_date. first_namelast_namehire_date OliverCrawford2021-03-15 WilliamParker2022-01-22 RalphCrawford2009-10-01 LaneWalters2020-03-11 KeithPope2021-07-08 JeffreyRead2021-09-25 We want to select all employees except those with the last name of Crawford – i. Read more 17 Nov 2022 Luke Hande What Is an SQL Database? SQL databases have been used for decades and have grown in popularity, becoming one of the most common data management tools. They provide the user with an efficient way to store the data and an intuitive way to access or modify it. In this article, we’ll start by explaining what a database is and showing some examples. We’ll move on to how databases can be used to efficiently work with large amounts of structured data. Read more 27 Oct 2022 Ignacio L. Bisso What Are the Basic SQL Queries? You can access the data in a database using some basic SQL queries. In this article, we review the fundamentals SQL queries every beginner should know. Databases are everywhere, and they contain different kinds of data. Almost all of them support SQL, a language that lets you read and manipulate the data inside a database. In this article, I’ll show you the basic SQL queries that you can use to perform many common everyday data tasks. Read more 24 Oct 2022 How to Subtract one Value From Another in SQL Problem: You want to subtract one numeric value from another in SQL. Example: As an example, let’s take the table revenue. It stores information on income and expenses for different months. The table has 4 columns: year, month, income, and expenses. yearmonthincomeexpenses 2022June86004300 2022July55004500 2022August90007300 2022September120008000 Let’s calculate the profit for each month. Read more 8 Sep 2022 Tihomir Babic SQL Syntax In today’s article, we’ll give you a walkthrough of core SQL syntax with a focus on the SELECT, INSERT INTO, UPDATE, and DELETE statements. SQL is a programming language designed specifically to communicate with databases. It allows you to get the data from a database or change the data within it. Like any programming language, SQL has a syntax you must adhere to. In other words, there are rules to follow regarding its commands if you want your code to work. Read more 9 Aug 2022 Dmitri Vaitkun What Is an SQL Query? An SQL query is the most basic SQL command. It is a question you ask a database. In this article, we dive into the basics of SQL queries to kickstart your SQL journey with practical knowledge right away! What is SQL SQL, or Structured Query Language, is a programming language designed to interact with databases. When you want to access data in a database, be it to alter, delete, add, or simply extract information, you use SQL. Read more 10 May 2022 Kateryna Koidan The Complete Guide to the SQL WHERE Clause Learn how to use the SQL WHERE clause to filter rows. In this comprehensive article, we cover comparison operators and the BETWEEN, IN, LIKE, AND, OR, and NOT operators. Filtering output rows is one of the first things you need to learn when starting your SQL journey. In this guide, we’ll see how to use the SQL WHERE clause to filter rows in different scenarios. We’ll cover basic and some more advanced use cases. Read more 9 Nov 2021 Himanshu Kathuria How to Write a WHERE Clause in SQL We explain how to use the SQL WHERE clause with practical examples. If you have just started learning SQL and want to know how to retrieve or work with only a specific portion of the data stored in your tables, then this article is for you! What is WHERE Clause in SQL? The SQL WHERE clause filters records based on specific conditions; it allows you to selectively retrieve, modify, or delete data in a database. Read more 22 Jul 2021 How to Comment in SQL Problem You'd like to comment your code in SQL. Example Here's the example code: SELECT name, COUNT(*) AS count_items FROM products GROUP BY name HAVING COUNT(*) 5 ORDER BY name DESC; Solution 1: Use -- to comment till the end of the line Use -- to comment code till the end of the line. Here is what it looks like: -- product names along with the number of items -- products ordered by name in descending order SELECT name, COUNT(*) -- AS count_items FROM products GROUP BY name -- HAVING COUNT(*) 5 ORDER BY name DESC; Discussion You can write single-line comments in SQL using --. Read more 17 Jun 2021 Kamila Ostrowska SQL Terms Beginners Should Know - Part 4 Here it is – another batch of must-know SQL terms. In the first two parts, we covered tables, relational databases, queries, aliases, SQL JOINs, primary keys, and subqueries. Last time, we moved to more advanced terms like INSERT INTO, GROUP BY, and HAVING. Are you ready to dive deeper into SQL terminology? This is the fourth installment of our series on basic SQL terms for beginners (and everyone else). Don’t worry if you missed the previous articles; you can find Part 1 (essential SQL terms), Part 2, and Part 3 in our blog. Read more 18 May 2021 Andrew Bone How to Use Aliases in SQL Queries An SQL alias is useful for simplifying your queries and making the query and its result more readable. This article explains why and how you can use aliases in your SQL queries. You can temporarily rename a table or a column by giving it another name. This is known as an SQL alias. It’s a temporary change that does not affect the actual table name in the database. A temporary table name can also be called a correlation name. Read more 24 Feb 2021 Jakub Romanowski SQL Terms Beginners Should Know - Part 3 This is the third part of my list of essential SQL terms for beginners. In the first, you learned what tables, relational databases, and queries are. In the second part of the tutorial, I told you about aliases, SQL JOINs, primary keys, and subqueries. Now, it's time for more advanced database terms. But don't be afraid! I won’t crush you with scientific definitions. I will explain everything simply so that you can easily understand. Read more 19 Jan 2021 Andrew Bone What Is the SQL WHERE Clause? The WHERE clause is a fundamental part of SQL. This clause filters results and applies conditions to SQL queries. It is most commonly used alongside the SELECT statement. If you’re a complete newcomer to this topic, you can learn the basics of SQL, including WHERE, in our SQL Basics course This article will clearly explain how to use WHERE in a SQL query. After reading it, you’ll have the confidence and knowledge to integrate WHERE into your daily work. Read more 4 Dec 2020 Jakub Romanowski SQL Terms Beginners Should Know – Part 2 This is the second part of my list of essential SQL terms for beginners. In the first, you learned what a table, relational database, and query are. Now, it's time for more advanced database terms. But don't be afraid! I won’t crush you with scientific definitions. I will explain everything simply so that you can easily understand. If you want to review the basic SQL terms, see my previous article, SQL Terms Beginners Should Know. Read more 3 Dec 2020 Kateryna Koidan How Do You Write a SELECT Statement in SQL? SQL is a language to communicate with relational databases, and the SELECT statement is the first thing you’ll learn when you start using SQL. In this article, you’ll learn how to write SELECT statements, from the basics to more advanced. What Is SQL? SQL stands for “Structured Query Language.” It has a long history that started in the 1970s. Being the standard for communication with relational databases, it has maintained its popularity. Read more 20 Nov 2020 Adrian Więch How To Learn The SELECT Statement in SQL When you think about learning SQL, one of the first things you come across is the SELECT statement. Selecting information is arguably the most important SQL feature. In this article, we’ll demonstrate the typical use cases for SQL SELECT with practical examples. Read this article if you’re a beginner database user and would like to know what SELECT can do for you. SQL, or Structured Query Language, is the programming language the IT world uses to communicate with databases. Read more 10 Nov 2020 Jakub Romanowski SQL Terms Beginners Should Know Have you started learning SQL? Do you feel a little lost in the maze of new words and ideas? Here’s a list of 10 absolutely essential SQL terms for beginners. When you start learning SQL, there’s a lot to process. And some of it – even basic SQL terms – gets lost in the shuffle. If this sounds like you, bookmark this article; it will be a handy reference. Read more 20 Oct 2020 Adrian Więch What Is a DBMS? We generate vast quantities of data every day, and that data needs to be stored somehow. That’s where DBMSs come in handy. Find out what they are and how they relate to databases. If you go on a diet and simply want to keep track of your weight, you can probably use a piece of paper and a pencil. If you then want to chart your daily caloric intake, you’ll probably switch to something like a computer spreadsheet. Read more 25 Nov 2019 How to Multiply Two Columns in SQL Problem: You want to multiply values from two columns of a table. Example: Our database has a table named purchase with data in the following columns: id, name, price, quantity, and discount_id. idnamepricequantitydiscount_id 1pen731 2notebook582 3rubber1131 4pencil case2423 Let’s multiply the price by the quantity of the products to find out how much you paid for each item in your order. Read more 8 Oct 2019 Ignacio L. Bisso SQL Order of Operations SQL is not a traditional programming language in which you write a sequence of instructions in a given order of execution. Instead, SQL is a "declarative" language, which means that by writing a SQL query, you declare what data you expect as a result of the query, but you don't indicate how to obtain it. What is the Order of Operations in SQL? By using examples, we will explain the execution order of the six most common operations or pieces in an SQL query. Read more 11 Sep 2019 Dorota Wdzięczna The Most Important SQL Queries for Beginners How do you get data from a table? How do you create or delete a table? How do you display distinct records? How do you select rows which store a specific value in a column? You can easily do all of this by writing basic SQL queries. This guide discusses the 30 most important SQL queries for beginners. Let's take a look. 1. Retrieving Data From All Columns This is a very basic query to display all data from a table. Read more 18 Jun 2019 Dorota Wdzięczna 24 Rules to the SQL Formatting Standard Writing queries to a database requires knowledge about SQL syntax, but this is not all you should know. Best practices for writing professional SQL code require good formatting skills. In this article I discuss why this is so important and what are the basic rules you should follow. Why is it Worthwhile to Format SQL Code? Beginner SQL programmers often don't pay much attention to formatting their code. If you think formatting is something that can be safely ignored, look at the code below: Read more 27 Sep 2018 Ignacio L. Bisso How to Begin Running SQL Queries In this article, I’ll explain how to run a SQL query to help you execute your first one. Let’s jump right in! Running SQL queries for the first time is not a complex task, but it can seem intimidating at first if you’re a complete beginner. But once you get past that initial roadblock, you’ll be able to focus on learning SQL and writing more interesting queries to meet your business needs. Read more 18 Jul 2018 Aldo Zelen SQL Filtering 101 Sometimes, SQL queries return lots of data you don't need. In this article, we'll look at a simple example of filtering SQL queries to reduce the complexity of your data. The key to learning how to filter data in SQL is understanding the very basics of Boolean algebra. That's just a fancy term mathematicians use to describe expressions involving logical values (true/false) and their associated operators (and, or, not, etc. Read more 17 Apr 2018 Aldo Zelen Essential SQL Terms to Know for Beginners and Pros Working with databases can seem daunting to a non-technical person. Right away, you’re bombarded with new terms that make your head spin. Database, database instance, table, SQL and others are some of the basic terms that you need to understand just to have a normal conversation with your technical colleagues. In this article, we’ll explore some basic SQL database terminology you need to know to succeed. Imagine you’re attending a meeting with the development staff and suddenly feel as if you’re listening to white noise. Read more 21 Feb 2017 LearnSQL.com Team The Complete Beginner’s Guide to SQL Fundamentals If you're new to SQL, you've come to the right place. LearnSQL.com is a fantastic resource for learning SQL from the ground up. Before you start using SQL, it's helpful to understand what it is and how databases function. This guide provides a clear introduction to SQL fundamentals. At first, SQL may seem complex, but with the right approach, it becomes much easier to grasp. This guide will simplify the basics of SQL, making it accessible for beginners. Read more
Learning the basics of SQL is the first step to working with databases. It teaches you how to retrieve, update, and analyze data—skills that are essential for anyone new to SQL. Below is a list of articles that will guide you through the essential SQL concepts. These articles are simple to follow and include practical exercises to give you hands-on experience. Whether you're writing your first query or reviewing core concepts, these resources will help you solidify your understanding of SQL basics.