The SQL language started over 40 years ago, but it is still critical to just about every application involving large quantities of data. If you want to use MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Oracle databases you’ll need SQL. Even if you use an “abstraction layer” like Microsoft Access or Ruby on Rails, understanding the SQL underpinnings are essential to effective usage. In the SQL Jumpstart you’ll dive into databases including the design of an initial table layout, creating and modifying tables, creating queries with joins and intersections, automating calculations, and tending data — everything you need!

Level 1 Course

People make careers of being Database Administrators (DBAs), but 90% of what you need to know about databases can be learned in this workshop. Here are the main topics that will be covered:

• Modeling Data
  • Thinking about the nature and form of your data
  • Understanding how data relates to each other (One-to-One, One-to-Many, Many-to-Many)
  • Identifying and linking data
  • Defining the datatypes and purity of data
• Building and Maintaining Tables
  • Creating tables and columns
  • Adding data
  • Adding and deleting columns
• Querying a Database
  • Basic select statements
  • Selects with JOIN statements
  • Using LIMIT to restrict the number of results
  • Using ORDER to define the order of results
• Automation
  • Creating sequences for automated numbering
  • Using default field values
  • Creating basic TRIGGER actions
• Administrating a Database
  • Choosing a database platform
  • Creating users and handling permissions
  • Basic backup, transfer, and restoration

We’ll focus on “real-world” projects like the following:

Rivet Corporation

The Rivet Corp started as a small home business, but their growth has been quick and their data is getting out of control. Ricky Rivet, CEO, declares that it’s time for a database — “Get that data organized!” Here’s what you’ll need it to track:

• all employees, their personal information, and their employment history
• the big projects currently going on along with the tasks that makeup that project
• who each task is assigned to
• all supplier contact information
• current products and inventory
• customer information
• customer orders

As you build this database, organize and enter data, then run queries you’ll practice all steps of database design, maintenance, and usage.

Upcoming Sessions

• SQL Jumpstart [Beta] – 4/17 & 4/18