What is SQL?

In this series, we are going to going through some of the basics of using SQL. No prior experience with SQL is required. This will not be an extensive course. The history of SQL is outside of the scope of this series.

However, we will touch briefly upon how SQL is used and for what kind of applications. In essence, you will learn about how SQL statements and clauses are formed, and what kind of information you can query for.

Structured Query Language

SQL stands for Structured Query Language, and it is the industry standard for working with relational database systems like MySQL, SQLite, and many others. This means you can learn SQL in a general sense and your knowledge will still allow you to interface with many different kinds of applications such as blogs, e-commerce sites, and even smartphone apps.

Standard for Working with Relational Databases

SQL allows you to extract information from a database in the form of small questions strung together to form queries. These queries can vary greatly in complexity. But the most common database operations you can use SQL for include creating, reading, updating, and deleting information from your database. These are some of the major operations this series will focus on.

Practice SQL with Mock Data

One of the issues many new SQL users face involves getting data itself to work with. The statements you will learn about in this series involve extracting information from example databases. Where necessary, you can generate your own sample databases with websites such as Mockaroo and others. And, you can connect to your sample database with a database client like DB Browser. As an advanced alternative for those familiar with PHP, you can import your database into your server’s MySQL with PhpMyAdmin and use PHP to work with it.

If you’re looking for an all-in-one database solution, consider getting your own managed dedicated hosting for limitless resources and customization.

CM
Christopher Maiorana Content Writer II

Christopher Maiorana joined the InMotion community team in 2015 and regularly dispenses tips and tricks in the Support Center, Community Q&A, and the InMotion Hosting Blog.

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