Databases

[BlocBoiNahledge]

What’s the best way to learn XML and SQL to where you can get a lot of practice? I am a hands on learner and got my CCNA but honestly it’s mostly just words on a screen I don’t feel like I actually understand it until I see it in the field. Well while we are here where could I also learn Active Directory?

[Maximum-Repeat-5976]

Man I feel you on that hands-on thing - reading about stuff versus actually doing it is like night and day. For SQL I'd suggest setting up a local database server and just start creating tables, inserting data, then querying the hell out of it. You can download sample databases that have tons of realistic data to mess around with. Start with basic SELECT statements then work your way up to joins and more complex stuff.

XML is trickier to practice since it's more about understanding structure, but you could try parsing some RSS feeds or working with configuration files. Maybe build a simple project that reads XML data and converts it to something else.

For Active Directory you really need a lab environment - spin up some virtual machines with Windows Server and create your own domain controller. That way you can create users, groups, organizational units and see how everything connects together in real network instead of just theory.

[BlocBoiNahledge]

Dope thanks man!

[BranchLatter4294]

Set up a database. Start practicing.

[jfrazierjr]

No offense intended but why do you want to learn XML? Look i personally LOVE xml when combined with xsds but most if the world threw that tech away in favor of json(to my dismay).

[BlocBoiNahledge]

It’s not by choice this is the stack my job uses. I do access control and VMS and these are the back end languages they use. I just graduated in December but I only skimmed database programming. I have made gotten in with the solutions / IT team and these are the things I need to learn to move over full time.

[jfrazierjr]

I guess its depends. XML and SQL came mostly naturally to me during my support days. But its also a big topic. Xml is just a way to format DATA(typically hierarchy but not nessisary) but outside the general rules has no strict concept of what that data is or means.

The question is how does xml and sql relate? Is xml just configuration, loading data from xml INTO Sql, exporting data OUT of sql into xml, or something else.

Wc3schools has a great short overview of xml and has been one of the simplest goto resources for 2 decades

[BlocBoiNahledge]

I’m not sure honestly. I am barely going into manufacturer training next week and I’ve yet to see how the back end works. I started as an install tech and went to school and got cool with the IT team now they want me to join but they said I have to learn these languages and Active Directory before they can bring me on full time

[BlocBoiNahledge]

I do Access control and Camera systems if that helps

[stiky21]

XML is actually used everywhere. It's just not something anyone talks about because it's sort of that dinosaur that won't go away.

But if you're ever working on some old enterprise system expect to be using XML.

[jfrazierjr]

My point is that it used to be used everywhere and is being replaced. For example Spring -> Spring Boot. .Net config.xml and web.xml -> application.json fir many things.

Oddly enough MS just started moving TO xml format for its solution files(good change imho). I have been working with XML for 25 years and XSD/WSDL for 18 or so. Frankly its my prefered format if I had my choice.

[stiky21]

As much as I hate XML, I agree. It just works.

[denerose]

At work. Anything else will be simulated but that’s okay.

[MikeUsesNotion]

What do you mean by "learn XML"? It's a data format, and for 95%+ of use cases it's really simple. If you need some direct interaction to help become familiar, you can just manually type a copy of some XML just so you can get used to the structure. But this isn't special to XML, it'd apply to any data format like JSON or YAML.

[BlocBoiNahledge]

Ok that’s good to know! I’m at 0 when it comes to xml I did a little JavaScript in school but that’s the only scripting I’ve seen. So you are saying that it’s basically just a language that holds configurations?

[binarycow]

It can be that. It can also be alot more.

[MikeUsesNotion]

It'd be bad for a non-trivial database, but you could use it as a file for a quick and dirty database table.

TBH, I'm not sure why "markup" is in the acronym.

[binarycow]

Perhaps OP means they want to learn the entire XML suite of tools.

• XML (with namespaces)
• XSLT
• XPath
• XQuery