For an instructor lead, in-depth look at learning SQL click below.
Learning SQL Server basics involves understanding the fundamental aspects of Database Management. SQL, which stands for Structured Query Language, is a language used to interact with databases. When we talk about SQL Server, we are referring to Microsoft’s Relational Database Management System (RDBMS).
Understanding SQL
SQL is a programming language that allows you to create, manipulate, and manage data in relational databases. You can fetch, insert, update, delete data from a database, create new databases, tables, procedures, triggers, and much more.
Here’s a basic example of how SQL code looks like:
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CREATE TABLE Employee ( ID INT PRIMARY KEY, Name VARCHAR(50), Salary DECIMAL(10, 2), Department_ID INT ); |
This SQL code will create a new table named “Employee” with columns ID, Name, Salary, and Department_ID.
Understanding SQL Server
SQL Server is a database server by Microsoft. It is a software product whose primary function is to store and retrieve data requested by other software applications. These could be applications on the same computer or those running on another computer across a network (including the Internet).
Working with SQL Server
To work with SQL Server, you need to use SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) which is a software application first launched with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 that is used for configuring, managing, and administering all components within Microsoft SQL Server.
Fetching Data from SQL Server Database
Using the SQL SELECT statement, you can fetch data from a SQL Server Database. Let’s suppose we want to fetch all the data from the “Employee” table we created earlier. Here’s how our SQL code will look:
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SELECT * FROM Employee; |
Updating Data in SQL Server Database
You can use the SQL UPDATE statement to update existing records in a table. For example, we can update the Salary of an employee. Here’s how our SQL code will look:
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UPDATE Employee SET Salary = 60000 WHERE ID = 1; |
Above SQL statement will set the Salary of the employee with ID 1 to 60000. Be careful while using the UPDATE statement as omitting the WHERE clause will update all records.
The Importance of SQL Server in Database Management
SQL server plays a critical role in data evolution making it a key player in the modern period of data science, big data and data interpreting. Companies across the globe rely on SQL server for data storage and analysis, making mastery of this tool a high-demand skill.