Programming languages are the backbone of the digitized economy, presenting many opportunities for job seekers.
If you want to add to your programming skills, you may have considered learning SQL.
It’s a programming language essential in data mining and management fields.
However, if you’re new to programming, you may be intimidated to take the plunge.
Is SQL difficult, and how long doesn’t it take to learn?
How Long Does It Take To Learn SQL?
You can learn basic SQL in 2-3 weeks.
Learning advanced SQL skills can take anywhere from 3-6 months.
However, learning SQL may take different amounts of time, depending on your prior programming skills.
If you’re an absolute beginner, it naturally takes longer to learn SQL than when you know other programming languages.
It also depends on the skill level you want to achieve.
Do you plan to reach an advanced level to get a full-time job in SQL or just learn the fundamentals to add to your programming toolbox?
Is SQL Difficult?
SQL is famous for being one of the easiest programming languages to learn.
Whether or not you know how to code, you can learn the basics pretty fast, even in a few hours.
Unlike other programming languages, including Python and C++, you can easily memorize concepts, objects, and functions.
In addition, it’s different from other programming languages because it’s a query language.
You use it to interact with databases.
No matter how many tasks you can do with a database, they’re fewer than those you can do with a programming language like Python.
The number of commands is limited, making it easier to learn and master.
The syntax is pretty straightforward because it’s English and intuitive, and you won’t confuse concepts once you memorize them because they’re not similar.
The commands are what we use in everyday language, so they’re easier to pick up.
You only need to master how to create tables and extract data.
In addition, you don’t need to change the syntax and concepts across different tools like MySQL and SQL Server.
However, like any other skill, mastering SQL requires dedication and consistency.
If you plan to use SQL in your career, it can have many details that you should remember because you deal with data and databases, which can be sensitive.
Advanced SQL may be more challenging to master because it involves more specialized realms than indexing, variables, queries, etc.
It has a steep learning curve that depends on your target skills and how deeply you want to delve into things.
That said, even if you have no coding experience, you can learn the basics of SQL in just a few hours or over a weekend.
You can learn how to select columns from data tables, find data in those tables, or do math operations.
Going to intermediate SQL with no prior experience can take longer, but it depends on your learning style and free time.
You’ll learn to do more complex tasks like creating new tables or joining existing tables.
If you put in enough effort, you can learn these skills in a few days or a week.
However, learning basic and intermediate SQL can take much shorter if you have prior programming skills.
You’ll realize that the commands are much simpler than the programming languages you already know, so it only takes a few hours to get your head around the language and learn its basic commands.
Why Should You Learn SQL?
As one of the most popular programming languages, SQL (Standard Query Language) is a query language used in relational databases.
Backend developers and data scientists use this language to find, modify, enter, or delete data on their databases.
If you plan to work in an area related to data mining or data management, you should learn SQL.
Here are the most important uses of SQL:
- Creating and combining databases
- Building tables and altering data within these tables
- Retrieving data
- Changing data structures
- Manual data analysis
- Controlling access within the database
- Performing queries on data
Based on these functions, you can perform the following jobs:
- Database development. The primary function of SQL is to help experts create and manage databases. A database developer ensures the data remains relevant by updating and modifying existing data.
- Database administration. Working with database developers, administrators grant access to data to authorized people and manage and maintain database programs.
- Software development. Software developers who work with statistics have to learn SQL.
- Data analysis. Analyzing data is one of the primary functions of SQL. Data analysts work with raw data to make sense of it and find patterns to help organizations use their data.
- Data science. Data scientists and analysts have similar jobs, but the former needs more advanced skills and programming languages. The number 1 skill for a data scientist may not be SQL, but it plays a crucial role in this field.
- SEO analysis. If you know SQL, you can use the vast sea of online data to see how you can help websites improve their ranks on the internet.
- Machine learning. One of the most significant uses of SQL is in machine learning, which requires a vast amount of data to create models. SQL queries and tools help handle data and build models.
- Business analysis. Businesses need data to analyze their performance and their target audience’s preferences and requirements. Even people in marketing can benefit from SQL to help them detect trends in raw data.
- Website design: Most websites work with databases and use their data. E-commerce, online banking, or social media sites have to connect to databases to work properly.
Plus, most websites have their own databases of their user information to store and manage.
Therefore, a knowledge of SQL is essential for these websites’ developers.
As you can see, SQL can create new opportunities for you within the same organization or improves your career outlook in other places.
If you have programming skills, you can combine them with SQL to advance your career.
Why Is SQL Popular?
As mentioned, SQL is among the most popular programming languages.
More specifically, it’s a query language used to interact with and manage databases.
Depending on the job description, some employers may need you to know SQL in addition to another programming language like Python.
In addition to being easy to learn, SQL has some other features that make it popular.
1. Efficiency
Data is increasing rapidly over the internet, making older data analysis methods inefficient.
As a result, SQL replaces Excel spreadsheets and other data management and analysis methods that can only handle small amounts of data.
It has no limits and can handle any body of data regardless of size.
In addition, it has specific codes and queries for different tasks, making data management fast.
2. Versatility
After learning SQL, you don’t need to worry about getting rusty.
It’s so versatile that you will use it in any field with data management.
People in finance, software development, data analytics, social media, and many more fields must use SQL.
Knowing SQL will make your job much easier, even in sales and marketing.
That’s one of the main factors that make SQL so popular because it comes in handy in many fields.
As a result, you can’t find a tech company, a marketing business, or any other business that works with data, not require an SQL expert.
It can also help businesses facilitate communication among different teams.
Marketing, accounting, management, and engineering teams require different data sets to help them make decisions and future plans.
SQL can help build meaningful databases for each team and integrate them for the overall organization’s goals.
It’s always in demand and will grow in popularity as the role of data becomes more significant in businesses.
3. Flexibility
SQL is a flexible language that integrates with different relational databases and other programming languages.
For example, you can use relational databases like MSAccess to make your job easier in managing and manipulating data in large databases.
More importantly, you can integrate SQL with scripting languages like Python and R.
This way, you can use these languages to manage databases.
4. Simplicity
SQL is uncomplicated and makes your job simple.
Since it’s standard, it doesn’t require constant updates, allowing you to use the same syntax and commands all the time.
It also makes your job easier by allowing you to create tables and organize data more effectively.
The commands DDL (data definition language), DML (data manipulation language), DCL (data control language), and DQL (data query language) can help you do pretty much everything you need to perform with a database.
Combining data from several large databases isn’t something you can do with ordinary tools.
With SQL, though, it’s super easy.
In addition, different tech companies have specific SQL tools that make your job even easier.
They include Oracle’s SQL Developer, Microsoft’s SQL Server Management Studio, and DataGrip.
What’s The Best Way To Learn SQL?
SQL is a well-tested and widely-used language with a large user base.
As a result, you’ll never run out of learning materials.
In addition, you can find the right answer to any question you have on online forums and websites.
There are many free and paid courses to take you through different SQL levels.
You can also watch YouTube videos to learn SQL for free.
Regardless of the learning venue, you should consider the following:
1. Take Things Slowly
SQL is easy to learn, but it doesn’t mean you can become a full-stack developer during a weekend.
You should break learning the language into several levels, covering a few concepts at a time.
If you don’t learn the fundamentals deeply, you’ll have trouble mastering the next levels.
In addition, learning and mastering are different.
You can learn the basic concepts in a few hours, but you must practice them for as long as required.
Otherwise, you’ll have trouble learning complex concepts.
The key point is that you should go beyond theories and get hands-on experience.
Open-source databases are a great place to start, and you can learn how to modify and manage the data.
You can also use websites that help you learn things practically by simulating SQL management systems.
The good thing about these websites is that you don’t need to install any simulation software.
2. Tailor Your Needs
Learning the basics should be the first step, regardless of your future plans.
However, you should consider your job requirements when moving to higher levels.
Depending on your job, you may need to master some skills but not others.
For example, as a developer, you should focus on collecting information and interacting with it, while a data engineer should learn how to grant users permission to access data.
It’s a great way to avoid complexities that come with advanced SQL, allowing you to focus on a few key concepts for your job.
3. Expand Your Work
After mastering the standard SQL, you can expand and learn other SQL dialects, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, or SQL Server.
These dialects aren’t fundamentally different from the standard SQL and use the same basic syntax.
There may be slight differences in specific commands.
When you learn the standard language, learning the other dialects isn’t difficult.
However, if you have specific career goals in mind, you may need to start with the dialect required by your employer.
Do You Need An SQL Certificate?
You can use many online sources and videos to teach yourself how to use SQL.
However, the caveat is that you can’t get a certificate if you learn a skill via YouTube.
The good news is that you don’t need a certificate to prove your knowledge of SQL in most cases.
Most employers ask you to show them how skillful you are by giving you sample projects.
However, specific employers may require you to provide a certificate.
In addition, a certificate on your resume can improve your credibility and increase your chances of getting noticed by employers.
If you take a course to learn SQL, ensure they prepare you for your future job instead of teaching useless concepts.
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