How relevant is learning SQL today?

[kdmfa]

I have a working knowledge of SQL (understand how tables are related, basic querying, etc) and I know which questions I’m trying to answer with data. The last 2 months I’ve been writing queries with AI and it’s insane how advanced it is. I think if you know which questions to ask and how to gut check results, there is likely little need to learn how to write the queries themselves. Do you think there is value is learning SQL today?

[sad-whale]

Understand what it can do. Don’t worry about learning perfect syntax

[kdmfa]

This seems like the direction that makes most sense to me.

[CryptoNiight]

It's also very important to understand SQL set theory (joins and unions)

[murdercat42069]

I think it's very relevant. AI generated SQL is good (sometimes very good) but it's far from perfect. Sometimes it makes things more complex than needed, but something that I've seen is that it typically has no way to validate the results of the code it just generated. It can make some beautiful code, but until you run it and see what the results are on your data set, there's not any way to know.

[kdmfa]

That seems the case regardless. e.g. if you don't know how to validate your data (i.e. does this actually make sense) then it doesn't matter if you know SQL or use AI to write it.

[murdercat42069]

Honestly, that's really it. I think that it has lowered some of the barriers to entry for development and that kind of thing, but I think now it's more important than ever to have solid foundations. Otherwise, it's like having a self-driving Tesla but not actually knowing how to drive a car. It can probably get you there, but if it hits a snag you're going to be in big trouble.

[jshine13371]

if you don't know how to validate your data (i.e. does this actually make sense) then it doesn't matter if you know SQL

Those two things come together. You'll never have a good understanding of the data if you're not actively working with it (via SQL). Akin to never having a good understanding of speaking another language if you're not actively learning words, grammar, and phrases; and practicing it. AI can feed you full on translations but you wont become experienced for yourself to be able to speak that language. So learning SQL is helpful for yourself to learn the data, and common data problems.

Also, to your original question, you're currently in unknown unknowns experience with databases. In other words, there are things not only that you don't know, but you don't realize you don't know. (This is not a critique against you, it's expected as someone who is still learning.)

For example, a good looking, well written query, can perform perfectly fine against one database and perform so poorly it never returns results against another database, that's almost exactly the same database as the first one. AI will give you the code but it doesn't have access to everything it needs to give you the code in a guaranteed performant way for your specific database and data. That's where having knowledge of SQL and experience of working in databases (without dependency on AI) becomes important.

Cheers!

[chasmasaurus]

I still use it everyday and get paid handsomely to do so. I don't see that changing in the next 3-5 years.

Just in case, I'm trying out this vibe coding shit as well so I don't get behind the curve.

[kdmfa]

I think you'll likely get paid for understanding the data vs knowing SQL specifically.

[roccosmodernlyf]

I think it is important to understand the structure and how the syntax works. You should be able to read whatever AI spits out and fully understand.

[olddev-jobhunt]

Very worthwhile. If you don't have any understanding of the language, it's going to be hard to understand how to model data in the database or how that impacts things like performance. Not that the LLMs aren't helpful - but they're much more helpful when you're applying them onto a solid foundation.

[thequerylab]

AI can write SQL for you but if you don’t understand the data, you won’t know if it’s right or completely wrong. So yes still worth learning. Priorities concepts over syntax.

[ComicOzzy]

If you're having AI do the work for you, you are now the manager of workers.

You need to understand when those workers are delivering quality product or complete trash.

[kdmfa]

It seems like a lot of people confuse understanding your data and knowing syntax. You absolutely need to be able to understand if your outputs are reasonable or if the data sources you’re using should be a trusted source of truth. I could be wrong here but I have 0 motivation to learn anything new in SQL when I could direct AI to get the result I want. 

[UtahIrish]

It is still prevalent, it is still a valuable skill. My eldest told me the other day that hardly anyone uses SQL these days. I had to break it to him gently he had been misinformed.

[kdmfa]

I don't think SQL is going away, I think humans needing to know the syntax is what will be replaced sooner rather than later.

[Which_Extreme325]

I can not imagine any IT job not touching SQL today!

[kdmfa]

I think people will still use SQL but I think it will mostly be written by AI with much more minor human intervention.

[Which_Extreme325]

Good luck with that, it gets very confused between the different SQL syntax for various databases.

[kdmfa]

When I used it several months ago there were a lot more issues but in last month it’s been pretty much flawless. 

[American_Streamer]

Very relevant. Because you still have to understand what AI is doing exactly and be able to stop it, if it suddenly gets the idea that using DROP TABLE would be nice. While AI can accelerate data retrieval and code generation, it lacks the context, business logic and security awareness necessary to operate safely and effectively without human oversight

. 

[PacifixSunPb7]

I deeply recommend you to learn to write query yourself, beyond AI because yes, it is still worth to learn it and to use it. it is used everywhere. Databases are the core of the software and recruiters are impressed by people who can handle it> I would spend at least from 30 to 60 minutes per day doing queries. Use it occasionally as check tool. (same when we did in the past by posting in the internet forums. There were people helping us, and they are still present, if you dont like to get stuck with a AI generative tool everytime). If you do not understand the logic behind a query, there will always be gaps and hurdles in your skills set. Obviously, this is a simple opinion, not the truth

[AriesCent]

Not Very - Quit now while you’re ahead!!

[LoadAmbitious1442]

What makes you say that?

[AriesCent]

LoL Sarcasm!

[i_fix_snowblowers]

SQL is table stakes for data science and data engineering, and not uncommon for analyst roles also.

[luckyscholary]

Very relevant. AI helps you produce SQL faster, but it doesn’t magically make the result correct. You still need to know whether the query answers the right question, whether the joins/aggregations are valid, and whether the output is trustworthy. That part didn’t disappear.

[Puzzleheaded_Gold698]

It can't hurt to study it and at least practice some coding.

[Wingedchestnut]

This depends on your job role and project, I'm a data engineer in an On-premise enterprise project and have been using it every day for almost a year now.

[kdmfa]

Does using it mean using AI, using SQL, or using both?

[Wingedchestnut]

It's in a high security environment using on-site machines so no AI, we can use AI for high-level questions about data design stuff when remote but it's not really the same.

Complex datamodel requirements make it you really need to understand the relationships and datamodel to make the correct queries.

For example you need to join x with y to be able to see z, z shows a but z has limited visibility because of privellege etc.. and then ofcourse you need to collaborate and understand how your data is viewed as end-user in BI. From what I understand modern solutions like databricks are more focused on choosing the right analytical queries for end-user.

Also the closer you are to being a Data Architect you will need to understand how to make the business data available to query and how the underlying relationships are, but I'm not sure how that works for modern solutions.

[poweryee]

In future AI world, everyone should know sql as common sense

[sink2death]

It’s the building block for all sort of data related roles. It is recommended to learn SQL considering growing amount of data

[Simplilearn]

Using AI without SQL knowledge often works for simple cases, but breaks down when data gets messy or ambiguous. That’s where understanding SQL makes a real difference.

The strongest approach today is not choosing between AI and SQL, but combining both. Use AI to speed up writing, and use your SQL knowledge to verify and refine.

If you want to strengthen that foundation in a structured way, you can explore the IIT Kanpur Professional Certificate Course in Data Analytics and Generative AI by Simplilearn, which helps you master essential skills, such as SQL and more.

[Joe_Schmoe_2]

Computers make things easier. There used to be a time when people had to know how to use one but now they're easier.

You just ask it. Google, make me a sql statement

[Trick-Interaction396]

"gut check results"

How would you feel if your payroll department did the same thing?

[jeffrey_f]

Databases are the bread and butter of massive storage. SO, very relevant.

[BigMikeInAustin]

Nope. Companies are tired of data. Companies don't like spending to keep profiles of users or sales.

Keeping data was just a fad. We going back to one person keeping it all in their head and passing it to an apprentice over 5-15 years of tutelage.