SQL Resources

Knowing even a small amount of SQL is a competitive advantage for any role you take in tech. Whether you work in Product, Ops, or even Engineering, being able to answer your own questions about system status, product usage, or team productivity can supercharge your workflow. Plus, SQL is everywhere! Whether you know it or not, you're likely the beneficiary of SQL's reliability and quickness.

According to sqlite.org, it "... seems likely that there are over one trillion ... SQLite databases in active use." This probably places SQLite it in the top five most widely deployed software modules ever. It is on every Android device, every iOS device, in most televisions and cars, etc. You get the point. Knowing at least a little SQL is probably a good idea.

SQL is one of those things I wish I'd learned earlier. I underestimated how useful it is in general.

— Alex Watt (@alexcwatt) January 6, 2022

I taught myself SQL out of necessity, but also because I enjoyed it. Finding interesting insights, combining tables, and solving my own problems through a query was very rewarding. It also opened up some great career opportunities for me as I began to apply my knowledge to business problems. I frequently get asked how I learned SQL and if I have any advice on doing so. I'll answer both of those questions below.

The following is a list of resources I found particularly helpful:

• Mode Analytics SQL Tutorial
• Datasette Tutorials
• DuckDB SQL Introduction
• Geeks For Geeks
• SQL Query Order Of Operations
• Snowflake's Documentation
• Replit's In-Browser IDE

The best advice I have on learning SQL is the same advice I'd give on learning any new skill. Practice. You have to practice all the time to have a new skill become second nature. Keep on trying new things. Keep on challenging yourself. Google is your friend.

Thanks for reading! Here's a meme.