Articles Cookbook
26 Aug 2020
Kateryna Koidan

SQL CTEs Explained with Examples

Learn how you can leverage the power of Common Table Expressions (CTEs) to improve the organization and readability of your SQL queries. The commonly used abbreviation CTE stands for Common Table Expression. To learn about SQL Common Table Expressions through practice, I recommend the interactive Recursive Queries course at LearnSQL.com. It contains over 100 hands-on exercises on simple and complex recursive CTEs. What does a CTE do? Why might you want to use one in your SQL code?
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25 Aug 2020
Tihomir Babic

How to Calculate the Length of a Series with SQL

What is a time series and why bother to calculate its length using SQL? How do we calculate the length of a series in SQL? I can answer that in two words: window functions! Yes, you’ll need some knowledge of SQL window functions to calculate series length. But what is a time series, and why would you want to find out how long it is? What Is a Series?
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21 Aug 2020
Jakub Romanowski

Where Can I Find Free Online Data Sets to Practice SQL?

Diving into the world of SQL can be an exciting journey. But to truly master this language, you need to practice SQL regularly. In this article, we'll guide you through some free online data sets that will help you take your SQL practice to the next level. Let's get started! You've successfully installed your chosen RDBMS and grasped the basics of SQL. So, what's the next step? Naturally, you're eager to apply and practice the SQL functions you've learned from our course.
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20 Aug 2020
Adrian Więch

5 Examples of GROUP BY in SQL

Data grouping—or data aggregation—is an important concept in the world of databases. In this article, we’ll demonstrate how you can use the GROUP BY clause in practice. We’ve gathered five GROUP BY examples, from easier to more complex ones so you can see data grouping in a real-life scenario. As a bonus, you’ll also learn a bit about aggregate functions and the HAVING clause. SQL is a universal language to talk to databases that has been around for almost 50 years.
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19 Aug 2020
Dorota Wdzięczna

How to Create a Table in SQL

Creating tables in databases is a very helpful skill, and not just for software engineers or database administrators. It allows you to design or change the structure of a database and store data that’s related to each other. In this article, you’ll learn what a database table is, who creates them, and how to use the syntax of the CREATE TABLE command. What Is a Database Table? A relational database is built of various structures like tables, views, procedures, and triggers.
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18 Aug 2020
Jakub Romanowski

The Most Popular Databases in 2020

Which database solution is currently most popular? Which SQL dialect should you study? In this article, I’ll share the results of my research and my personal experience. Here are the databases that are worth learning SQL to use. First, let's answer some simple questions: Is SQL still useful? Is it worth learning? If you complete an online SQL course, will it make your work easier? The answer is YES! Why?
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13 Aug 2020
Adrian Więch

How to Spend Less by Mastering the Monthly Budget in SQL

Do you struggle to keep your budget under control? You must have heard about various budget planning materials available as printouts, Excel spreadsheets, smartphone apps, budget management tools, or personal finance software. In this article, we’ll show you another possibility. You’ll learn how to use databases and SQL to identify the weak points of your home budget and spend less through SQL budget analysis or monthly budget in SQL.
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12 Aug 2020
Rebecca McKeown

Is There any Demand for SQL Language Nowadays?

SQL is 46 years old. That’s 14 years older than I am, and at least 23 years older than the jar of pickles in my refrigerator. SQL is the still-hip granddaddy of the programming world. You know the one: non-ironic suspenders, twirled mustache, tattoo peeking out over his spotted socks. He may be old, but boy, is he fly. If you’ve heard of the NoSQL movement, you may be wondering: why learn SQL in this day and age?
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11 Aug 2020
Kamila Ostrowska

5 Reasons You Might Fail to Learn SQL

Learning SQL isn’t hard, but that doesn’t mean you’ll sail through, problem-free. Here are five things that might cause unwary SQL learners to fail. For me, learning SQL wasn’t always about the joy of discovery. Learning itself is not all about curiosity and the satisfaction of succeeding. Sometimes there is a sense of failure. We’re often told it is better to focus on positives. I believe this. However, it is also crucial to find out what went wrong when we don’t succeed at something.
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7 Aug 2020
Jakub Romanowski

Learning SQL When You Work and Have a Family

Do you want to learn SQL but feel you can’t squeeze one more thing into your jam-packed life? Here are my tips on learning SQL when you work and have kids. You work full-time and have a family. Daily responsibilities overwhelm you. I’ve been there. Heck, I live there. I work from home and have a family. While I was writing this article, I was also waiting for a call on Zoom, doing the laundry, and cooking some pasta for my son’s dinner.
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