Introduction to Recommended SQL Books
Structured Query Language (SQL) is a powerful tool that can help you manage and manipulate data in databases. Whether it’s for personal or business use, having SQL knowledge can be an essential asset.
While some may shy away from learning SQL due to its technical nature, there are many resources available to make it more accessible. In this article, we will discuss the importance of reading SQL books and provide primary recommendations for those who are just starting on their SQL journey.
Importance of Reading SQL Books
In addition to programming courses or online tutorials, reading SQL books can be an excellent additional source to enhance your SQL skills. Not only can they provide you with a more in-depth understanding of SQL, but they also offer practical skills that you can implement in your own projects.
Books can be an especially useful resource for those who prefer to learn at their own pace, have a desire for all the information in one convenient source, or for those who like to revisit a topic multiple times.
Primary Recommendations for Chosen Books
There are countless SQL books available, but we’ve narrowed it down to three primary recommendations:
- SQL for Dummies
- Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes
- Practical SQL
SQL for Dummies
For beginners, SQL for Dummies is an excellent starting point. Written by Allen Taylor, this book is specifically designed to help readers without any prior knowledge of SQL.
The text provides an overview of SQL and SQL functions and progresses to more complex topics. It is presented in a practical and easy-to-understand style and includes hands-on exercises that guide the reader through the learning process.
Whether you’re a small business owner, marketing professional, or just curious about databases, SQL for Dummies will provide you with a solid foundation in SQL.
Overview of Book for Beginners and More Advanced Users
For more advanced users, SQL for Dummies has more advanced chapters that dive into complex topics like statistical functions and stored procedures. Whether you’re just starting or already have experience, SQL for Dummies can be an effective resource.
Importance of Hands-On Practice while Reading Book
It is an essential part of the learning process to engage in hands-on practice while reading a book. SQL for Dummies has a “Practice Track” at the end of each chapter that offers step-by-step instructions for exercises related to the chapter’s content.
This practice helps readers to reinforce what they’ve just learned and gain practical experience with SQL.
Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes
If you’re looking for a quick introduction to SQL, Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes is a fantastic resource. Author Ben Forta has designed the book to be read in a short time frame, giving the reader an overview of SQL essentials, including the use of SQL statements to update, delete, and retrieve data.
This book also includes an overview of topics such as data normalization, indexing, and stored procedures. The book is organized into sections for easy reference, making it a great resource for beginners or those pressed for time.
Practical SQL
If you’re looking for a hands-on guide to SQL, Practical SQL is an excellent choice. Author Anthony DeBarros provides readers with real-world examples that demonstrate the potential power of SQL.
The text covers SQL to work with data stored in spreadsheets, as well as databases. Practical SQL begins with an overview of the basics, then moves into more complex topics such as running regular expressions and performing automatic queries.
This book is ideal for those who want to practice SQL with real-world examples and gain practical experience with SQL.
Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes
If you’re someone who doesn’t have much time to spare but still wants to gain knowledge of SQL, Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes is the best-selling book to start with. Ben Forta is an experienced teacher who has authored many programming books.
In this book, he caters to those who are new to SQL and only have ten minutes to spare. The book provides an overview of essential SQL concepts, such as querying data, filtering, sorting, and summarizing.
Approach of Book for Programmers Who Work with Code
Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes targets programmers who work with code. It’s especially useful for those who have worked with databases in programming languages like Python but haven’t had any formal SQL training.
The book also caters to those who want to refresh SQL basics before proceeding to more advanced material. The book is useful for self-learners who need quick and straightforward explanations that help them understand the concept in a short time.
For instance, if you’re a Python developer who has a database to query, but haven’t had the time to take an SQL Basics course, this book is a great starting point. It not only provides examples from the SQL language but also includes a section on integrating SQL statements in Python code.
Hence, programmers can apply what they’ve learned while working on their projects.
Practical SQL: A Beginner’s Guide to Storytelling with Data
Another excellent SQL book to add to your reading list is Practical SQL: A Beginner’s Guide to Storytelling with Data. Authored by Anthony DeBarros, a teaching guru and a lead data expert, the book is a practical handbook that helps beginners understand how to present data visually in a storytelling fashion.
Review of Book’s Practicality and Author
Practical SQL is widely popular for its practicality. It does an excellent job of explaining SQL fundamentals regarding storytelling.
For instance, the book teaches readers how to organise data and appropriately determine data types while using SQL. It also emphasizes the significance of summarizing and aggregating the data.
DeBarros includes numerous examples in his book, enabling readers to understand how to present their information in meaningful ways. The book’s author is particularly unique as he comes from a journalism background and brings his experience of storytelling with data into the book.
DeBarros teaches SQL in the context of journalism to expose readers to how SQL can be utilised in its field. This makes the book a great resource for those starting out in data journalism.
Emphasis on Practice and PostgresSQL Usage
One of the best aspects of Practical SQL is its emphasis on practice. The book includes numerous hands-on exercises related to data analysis and real-world use-cases that enable readers to apply what they’ve learned.
The book is quite comprehensive, covering topics ranging from ordering and grouping data to the appropriate use of subqueries.
Moreover, it introduces PostgresSQL, an open-source SQL database with a reputation for being developer-friendly.
DeBarros provides examples of how to use SQL in PostgresSQL, making the book a perfect fit for developers who prefer an open-source alternative.
PostGIS in Action
If you’re interested in spatial data and PostGIS, PostGIS in Action is the book for you. Spatial data is data that can be referenced by location, and PostGIS is a spatial database extension of PostgreSQL.
This book is specialized in PostGIS and helps readers apply it to their real-world problems.
Specialization of Book on PostGIS and Spatial Database Extension
PostGIS in Action covers the basics of PostGIS, including installation and configuration, and covers spatial queries that enable geospatial data analysis. The book provides concrete examples that enable readers to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios.
The authors make extensive use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to illustrate the concepts of spatial data and provide an understanding of how to handle geographic data.
Emphasis on Serving Professional Users with Advanced Knowledge of PostgreSQL and Spatial Data
The book is aimed at experts with advanced knowledge of PostgreSQL and spatial data. The book’s focus is to serve professional users, and it provides a guide for building spatial databases with PostGIS that are scalable and robust.
The book covers advanced PostGIS topics like spatial indexes and database design, making it a great resource for professionals with existing knowledge of spatial data.
SQL for Data Scientists: A Beginner’s Guide for Building Datasets for Analysis
SQL for Data Scientists: A Beginner’s Guide for Building Datasets for Analysis is a book for those interested in machine learning, modeling, and forecasting.
Data scientists can use SQL to manipulate and work with large datasets efficiently. This book focuses on SQL capabilities that are used to support data science projects.
Description of Book’s Data Science Emphasis
The book offers an overview of SQL and databases initially, then sets the stage for modeling and analysis. It demonstrates how to frame real-world problems into database centric solutions.
The book has an extensive section on modeling, which is a critical step in data science projects. It covers topics like normalization and feature engineering, which are essential to data modeling.
Moreover, it demonstrates when and how to apply machine learning and statistical techniques using SQL.
Emphasis on SQL for Analyzing, Filtering, and Sorting Datasets
SQL for Data Scientists: A Beginner’s Guide for Building Datasets for Analysis emphasizes SQL’s capability to analyze, filter, and sort datasets using queries.
The book provides examples of how SQL can be used to organize an unstructured dataset into a structured one, which is essential for maintaining data consistency. It also teaches readers how to use SQL to aggregate and filter data.
The book’s last section demonstrates how SQL can be used to build models that support the prediction and extrapolation of data trends. Moreover, the book has code snippets in SQL for the reader to practice with.
The code is specifically designed to be simple and easy-to-understand, which reinforces the book’s beginner-friendly tone.
Further Reading Options and SQL Audiobooks
If you’ve exhausted the recommended books mentioned above and are looking for further reading options, there are several additional books available that can help deepen your understanding of SQL.
List of Additional Recommended SQL Books
- Head First SQL: Your Brain on SQL — A Learner’s Guide: This book starts with the basics of SQL and offers an interactive learning experience, combining exercises and puzzles to reinforce your understanding of concepts.
- SQL Cookbook: Query Solutions and Techniques for Database Developers, 3rd edition: This book provides an organized approach to solving tough SQL problems.
- Effective SQL: 61 Specific Ways to Write Better SQL: This book takes a different approach to solving SQL problems. It provides readers with specific techniques and tactics for optimizing SQL queries.
- SQL Server 2019 Revealed: This book dives deep into the latest version of SQL Server, covering topics such as the SQL Server engine and T-SQL programming.
- High-Performance MySQL: This book is aimed at architects, developers, and administrators who are interested in making the most of MySQL.
It covers topics such as database design, hardware selection, and SQL tuning.
Alternative Options for Learning, such as SQL Audiobooks
If you prefer alternative learning options to books, SQL audiobooks can be an excellent choice.
Here are a few audiobooks that teach SQL.
- SQL QuickStart Guide: The Simplified Beginner’s Guide to Managing, Analyzing, and Manipulating Data With SQL: This audiobook offers a beginner-friendly introduction to SQL and covers essential aspects of SQL, such as querying data, filtering data, and summarizing data.
- SQL for Beginners: Learn the Structured Query Language for the Most Intelligent Web Developer: This audiobook provides an overview of SQL, including the basics of relational databases and SQL commands, with examples of how to use SQL statements to create, retrieve, and manipulate data.
- The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Structured Query Language: The Programmer’s Guide to SQL: This audiobook aims to be a comprehensive guide to learning SQL, including topics such as data types, table design, and advanced data manipulation using SQL.
It’s important to note that audiobooks are not the best way to learn SQL since it’s a technical language.
But for those who enjoy auditory learning and want to revisit basic concepts or understand SQL fields’ history, they can be a useful supplemental resource.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are several recommended SQL books that can provide readers with a broad and in-depth understanding of how SQL works. Head First SQL: Your Brain on SQL, SQL Cookbook, Effective SQL, SQL Server 2019 Revealed, and High-Performance MySQL are all excellent choices.
If you prefer alternative learning options, SQL audiobooks like SQL QuickStart Guide, SQL for Beginners, and The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Structured Query Language can also be helpful. As each book or audiobook serves a specific purpose, choose one that best suits your learning needs and style.
Remember, in practicing SQL, repetitive exercises are necessary to retain a thorough understanding of the language. In conclusion, learning SQL is crucial for anyone who wants to manage and manipulate data in databases, no matter the reason, personal or professional.
There are numerous resources available for learning SQL, including books, audiobooks, and online courses. We’ve provided some of the best SQL books, including SQL for Dummies, Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes, Practical SQL, PostGIS in Action, and SQL for Data Scientists. While SQL audiobooks can supplement your reading material, a disciplined approach to practice with exercises along with reading materials is key to success.
As the amount of data continues to grow, so does the demand for skills to manage that data effectively. Investing in SQL skills to manage and manipulate data can enhance your career or benefit your personal projects.