Winter 2021 Track of the Season: Creating Database Structure

New year, new challenges, and ... a new SQL Track of the Season! Start 2021 by learning SQL and data engineering. In this article, we answer frequently asked questions about our Creating Database Structure track.

Maybe you haven't noticed yet that there’s an order to many LearnSQL.com courses; you can learn SQL by doing them in the right order. We call this option our ‘SQL tracks’. These are logically structured and well-thought-out learning paths that will help you take the next steps towards becoming an SQL expert. Why waste time wondering what course to do after SQL Basics or The Basics of Creating Tables in SQL? With an SQL track, you will keep making progress and gradually learn more complex topics. So, it’s no coincidence that we selected Creating Database Structure for this winter’s SQL Track of the Season.

Do you want to learn how to create database tables, views, and indexes? Are you looking to better understand the technical side of data storage and processing? Then our Track of the Season is perfect for you. You’ll earn to work with databases more efficiently and effectively.

Before we talk about what's inside this track and what you will learn, let's answer a basic question.

What Is Data Engineering?

Data engineering is a fairly new concept in IT, although almost everyone is talking about it. What's all the fuss about?

With the advancement of technology and especially with the development of the Internet, the amount of data we produce grows by the nanosecond. The world is ruled by those who have mastered working with databases, Big Data, and data processing! But to control this “flood” of data, someone has to arrange it into structures that can be later analyzed and processed. And that’s what data engineers do.

Data engineering is all about creating database structures and processing large amounts of data quickly and efficiently. To find out more, read What Is Data Engineering? by Adrian Więch. It will also explain how data engineering differs from data science or machine learning. Adrian has also recorded a very good tutorial on this topic, which you can find on our We Learn SQL channel on YouTube. Remember to like and subscribe.

What’s in the Creating Database Structure Track?

Creating Database Structure is the main track in our SQL Data Engineering path. It’s a complete set of courses that will help you create and manage tables, views, and indexes in popular relational database management systems like MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, and PostgreSQL.

It’s best if you have a little experience in IT; we assume that you know when to use SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE. If not, start with our How to INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE Data in SQL course and then come back to this one.

If you can use these SQL commands, you will definitely be able to handle our track. Imagine how fun it would be to become a data engineer. All you need is motivation and solid learning.

As with the other courses at LearnSQL.com, our data engineering courses give you the opportunity to test your knowledge. You don't need to install or configure anything. All you need is an Internet connection and your favorite web browser.

There are 5 SQL courses that make up this track:

• The Basics of Creating Tables in SQL: This beginner course covers the basic syntax of creating tables in relational databases.
• Data Types in SQL: This course discusses SQL data types. If you want to get an idea of what data types are, read our article about numerical data types.
• SQL Constraints: This course covers the various constraint types available in an SQL database.
• Working with Views: This course explains what SQL views are and how to create, modify, and remove them.
• Understanding Indexes: This course demonstrates how to use indexes to speed up the data retrieval process.

Who Should Take This Track?

The track is for beginning or aspiring developers and programmers starting their adventure with databases. But even advanced database administrators (DBAs) can benefit from it, as can students who want to prepare for their database exams.

It's fair to say this track is for everyone who wants to understand the magic of creating database tables. It can also be a good refresher before a job interview.

How Long Does It Take to Complete This Track?

We estimate it takes 38 hours to complete all 5 SQL courses. If you work on the courses for about 2.5 hours a day, you could complete the track in two weeks! For some helpful tips on effective learning, see 5 Reasons You Might Fail to Learn SQL.

Ready to Get Started with Data Engineering?

Is it really profitable to become a data engineer? See what Data Engineers do and how much you can earn if you become one. Let me just say it's worth it! This is a great opportunity to change your job, your career path, or even your whole life.

So, to sum up: If you’re a complete SQL beginner and do not know what a SELECT statement or a query is, start with the SQL Basics course. When you feel more confident in SQL, come back to the Creating Database Structure track. But if you have fundamental SQL knowledge and an interest in data engineering, try this winter’s SQL Track of the Season!