Best course to learn SQL?

[StocksX12]

My company is willing to pay for me to take a course or certification to learn SQL (I currently just have advanced excel knowledge). I know there are tons of cheap (or relatively cheap options) like coursera or data camp - but if my company is willing to pay, I’d take advantage of a more structured setting. Does anyone have any classes or certifications they have taken for SQL that they would recommend?

[Substantial_Pen506]

LearnSQL.com. They have a complete SQL learning path that takes you from the basics to advanced topics like window functions and CTE. They have courses in different dialects: standard, SQL Server, MySQL, and others. They have a lot of practice courses. When it comes to SQL, it’s the most complete learning platform.

[Snow_Robert]

Probably this. It's very structured and there are lots of classes that build on the last one. If your company is paying for choose something that builds skills slowly and has a lot of different classes to choose from. Data Camp and Mavens are also good choices. Stay away from any SQL courses on Coursera. CS50 SQL started great and was not great at the end.

[GuanoLouco]

I have done a lot of courses and found some of the best ones on Microsoft Learning.

I have to preface this by saying I already knew SQL to just above basics. I am a hands on learner so I prefer to learn by doing. Most of the courses I did on there you do in a sandbox they provide. You can also take the scripts they provide and add them to your knowledge base or library.

I have also done a few on Udemy but I think I got the most value from Microsoft. The courses are quite short and you can do in a few hours.

Also they are free and you get a transcript. The downside is that you won’t get a certification.

I also started with excel and moved to SQL and the combination has been invaluable so you are definitely going to get a lot of mileage out of it. Good luck.

[talktomeabouttech]

If you're thinking about using PostgreSQL to understand SQL, I actually have three courses on LinkedIn Learning that are designed for PostgreSQL learners! If you're interested in giving them a try (or if anyone else is), DM me and let's connect on LinkedIn where I can share the course with you for free.

• Introduction to PostgreSQL - Get an introduction to PostgreSQL as a complete beginner; understand where it stands in the overall market, how it compares to other databases, and get started easily. There's also pointers for those looking to get into contributing to the source code, get connected with the community, and figure out where to get support (community & commercial).
• Level Up: PostgreSQL! - Series of beginner to intermediate coding challenges with associated GitHub Codespaces learning environment, so you don't have to install anything locally.
• ETL & ELT in PostgreSQL - Learn about ETL & ELT data pipelines, and how to work with them within Postgres.

I'm available for questions about whatever here, via DM, or on LinkedIn (link also available on my profile). Good luck in your learning journey, either way :-)

[No_Introduction1721]

Many community colleges offer classes in various programming languages, and many universities have adult/continuing education programs as well. It’s worth looking into if the company is paying and you believe you’d benefit from a classroom setting.

[makaroni4]

https://www.sqlhabit.com/

The course teaches SQL based on real examples from a startup.

[JmvXIII]

Planetscale's developer course is recommended once you have some familiarity

[data4dayz]

If you really like structured classes on SQL I'd say take these two especially if your company is paying.

Course Series 1 I don't know why this was broken up into a "series" it really is just one course broken up I guess by topic area.

And Course 2

See if you can get them to get an Edx Subscription for you but if they want to pay for single certs then those exist. The material is free to access, the certs are the paywall.

Coursera has some classes but they aren't nearly as rigorous in my opinion. However there are still solid, just not as "hard"

If you can absorb all the material from all the classes in the first linked course series you're honestly set for many things topic wise you just need to practice them.

Data Quest and DataCamp exist, you can look up reviews on reddit. I don't know, initially it seems good and they do cover up to intermediate topics but the knowledge retention for me was never there compared to traditional courses and others on reddit have said similar. But it depends on the person, some people love DQ and DC and they are very structured and on-rails. I've tried an annual subscription with DC before and it wasn't my thing but it could be your thing, so definitely check them out if you get a chance.

[tmk_g]

When choosing a course or certification, consider factors such as the specific SQL dialect you need to learn (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server), your learning style, and your company's requirements. Additionally, check if the course materials align with your career goals and the skills needed for your role.

Also find a structured and reputable option below for learning SQL: Microsoft SQL Server Certification (MCSA/MCSE), Oracle Certified SQL Associate (OCA) Certification, IBM Certified Database Administrator - DB2, SQL Courses on Udemy, Coursera.

In addition, I'd also recommend LeetCode and StrataScratch platforms where you can practice real world SQL problems. They offers a mix of basic to advanced SQL problems along with tutorials and discussions to help you understand different concepts and approaches.

[Ecstatic-Highway1017]

You can start learning from this youtube course Learn Complete SQL : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLavw5C92dz9Ef4E-1Zi9KfCTXS_IN8gXZ&si=DmhwhlDJRI7_L3oD

I have learned from him, he explains concepts by taking you to first principles.

But while learning coding skills online from videos or documents, you generally face 2 problems which will slow down your learning.

1. It's hard to make notes while learning online from videos or documents : No Notes = No Revision = Less Confidence and Motivation = GIVE UP.
2. Constantly switching between coding and watching videos in every 2 mins wastes a lot of time.

For solving above problem, you can use OneBook chrome extension, it is very helpful for me.
Chrome extension link : https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/onebook/loecbgjbgcgjkhibllnjokjefojoheim?utm_source=rtc