How difficult is SQL to learn?

[Nitemare]

Got an interview doing AIX and SQL support yet my only experience with SQL is searching a database for what SQL error messages really mean.

 

[BChico]

Originally posted by: Nitemare
Got an interview doing AIX and SQL support yet my only experience with SQL is searching a database for what SQL error messages really mean.

Nah its not that bad, it a high level language, so it all makes sense.

The hardest things to learn are inner and outer joins i thought, but once you get the hang of it it makes sense.

 

[wuggle]

SQL is easy. Database design is hard.

 

[rh71]

I first learned it during an MIS class in college. Read a book and once you've got the syntax and "commands" it's pretty easy. If the job descrip doesn't require previous experience, you should be ok after a little bit of reading up.

 

[jdini76]

all you need to know is:

select
from
where

After that you can search the internet and help files for other syntax.

 

[NuclearNed]

SQL is not difficult compared to actual programming languages like C++. One nice benefit it has is that a SQL command roughly reads like a sentence in English.

 

[Tea Bag]

It's a very simple language to learn if you are familiar with the concept of a RDBMS. You can construct complex query results by writing simple statements. There are alot of free resouces out there as well. Based on your programming experience, you should be able to work your way around with SQL in about two weeks, give or take.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Originally posted by: jdini76
all you need to know is:

select
from
where

After that you can search the internet and help files for other syntax.

imo, the other 2 most important commands are:

insert
update

with those 3 you can do the bulk of data manipulation.

 

[kalster]

sql is easy, database normalization is interesting , but if you are supporting it, you probably wont need to know that, i personally found databases to be very mechanical/boring on the whole

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: blackdogdeek

Originally posted by: jdini76
all you need to know is:

select
from
where

After that you can search the internet and help files for other syntax.

imo, the other 2 most important commands are:

insert
update

with those 3 you can do the bulk of data manipulation.

Thanks for all the tips, interview will probably be tomorrow

 

[Utterman]

If you can get this joke, then you can do SQL:

> "SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue > 0"
0 rows returned

 

[BurnItDwn]

Just don't forget to "commit"

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: Nitemare
Got an interview doing AIX and SQL support yet my only experience with SQL is searching a database for what SQL error messages really mean.

Inner and outer joins are the only thing that is somewhat tricky about database design and SQL. It is quite easy to learn. I would say take half a day to get the major concepts right.

Inner joins only link up exact matches.

there are 3 outer joins. left, right, and full

left - inner join both tables but include all "left" table that aren't linked to the "right" table
right - same but with "right" (subjective to your design)
full - include all left and right not included in inner join

then there is the cross-product
all records are matched to all records in other table. (N*M) or (N^2) records produced. not efficient.

I suggest you use something like MS Access and test a few things in a book or something. You will pick up the full concepts very quickly.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: Utterman
If you can get this joke, then you can do SQL:

> "SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue > 0"
0 rows returned

:thumbsdown:
3/10, but nice try

 

[gsellis]

SQL for Dummies is a quick read. Should have it at the library for "free".