In this data driven world, knowing the most popular language to handle a dataset is an important skill to have for most jobs, albeit in different disciples.
Below is a curated list of the best 12 online tutorials for SQL programming. The list consists of SQL courses taught by experts in the database field. These courses are suitable for beginners as well as those that are advanced, who want to hone their database skills and advance their knowledge.
Best SQL Training Courses 0f 2019
1. The Complete SQL Bootcamp
This course by Jose Portilla is one of the best sellers on Udemy. Jose is a highly rated instructor on Udemy and has a bachelor and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. He also has years of experience as a professional instructor and trainer. This course is well structured with over 88 lectures spanning over a time period of 8 hours and 36 minutes. Around 176,785 students have already enrolled for the course and gave it an average rating of 4.6 out of 5.
In the course, the instructor walks you through SQL and explains every concept clearly. He starts with explaining the fundamentals of SQL and teaches you how to to write complex queries to a database. You will also learn about JOINS and dive deeper into more advanced SQL commands.
This course is very informative and perfect for absolute beginners. By the end of this course, you will be able to use SQL quickly and effectively.
Who is this course for?
Are you looking for the right course to learn about SQL, PostgreSQL or some basic data analysis? This course is just right for you even if you have no prior programming experience. One of the highly recommended courses for a beginner to get knowledgeable in SQL.
Course Highlights
- No prior experience is needed
- Course completion certificate
- You will learn about SQL from scratch with exercises and challenges
2. Developing SQL Databases
edX is an online educational platform that offers a wide variety of online courses for students and professionals. This is one of the best courses on edX and is taught by Geoff Allix and Pete Harish from Microsoft.
In this course, you will learn to design a relational database schema. You will also learn to design and implement tables. Furthermore, the instructor also explains how to ensure data integrity through constraints. The course mainly gives you a clear understanding in the creation of database objects, views, stored procedures and indexes.
By the end of the course, you would have learned to create your own database and will be able to implement SQL views, indexes and tables. This course can be completed within 4 weeks, with 2-4 hours effort per week.
Who is this course for?
If you want to learn to develop SQL databases, this course is the right choice for you. Before enrolling in the course, make sure you are familiar with T-SQL queries and have a basic understanding of relational database concepts.
Course Highlights
- Well-structured content taught by experts
- Verified certification of completion
- Challenging quizzes and assignments
3. SQL Essential Training
Bill Weinman is another well-known instructor on LinkedIn learning. He is an entrepreneur and an expert in languages like C++ and Python. He is also a passionate teacher who has created lots of online courses and books.
In this beginner level course, Bill starts with the installation procedure and gradually explains the essentials required for SQL. He thoroughly explains things like the SQL terminology and syntax. You will also learn to create new tables, insert and update data. Bill also shows how to write basic SQL queries. Furthermore, you will also learn to access related tables using JOIN.
The course covers the working of strings and provides a deep understanding of numeric types. You will also learn to use aggregate functions and transactions. Apart from that, Bill also shows how to automate data with triggers, create views and define functions in PHP.
On course completion, you will be able to build a simple and complete database application using SQL. This course consists of 13 modules with a duration of 3 hours and 17 minutes. Around 194,389 students have enrolled for the course to get a clear understanding of SQL.
Who is this course for?
This course is perfect for beginner level students who want to learn SQL to manage their data. If you are looking for a SQL course to understand the essential features, this course is an ideal choice for you to get started for data wrangling.
Course Highlights
- You will learn to manage data efficiently
- Real world examples
- Clear and concise explanation which are easy to follow
4. Introduction to SQL
Pluralsight is one of the best technology learning platforms that offers a wide variety of online courses and tutorials for students and working professionals. Jon Flanders designed this course and has also created many other online courses. He has also guided many companies to deploy mobile applications with ease.
This is a beginner level course and comes highly recommended on Pluralsight. The instructor introduces you to the fundamentals of structured query language and will help you understand the basic SQL syntax. You will also learn to query data and shape results. This course also covers creating and modifying data in tables.
By the end of the course, you will have a strong foundation in the basics of SQL and will be able to create a database. The course consists of 8 modules which span over a time period of 3 hours.
Who is this course for?
If you have no prior experience in SQL and want to get a clear understanding of database fundamentals, this course is a perfect one for you, as it will help you hone your skills in this discipline.
Course Highlights
- No previous SQL experience is needed
- Easy to understand
5. SQL for Data Science
Coursera being one of the top online educational platforms offers a variety of courses taught by actual professors from top ranked universities. This course is offered by UC Davis and is well designed by the instructor Sadie St. Lawrence. She is a data science instructor from the University of California, Davis. She is also the founder and CEO of an NGO, Women in Data.
The course begins with the fundamentals of SQL and how to work with data. It is easy to follow and very informative. The instructor discusses how SQL differs from other languages, and you will learn to select and retrieve data with SQL. Apart from that, this course also covers new clauses and math operators. You will learn to filter, sort, analyse and calculate data with SQL.
Furthermore, you will also learn about subqueries and JOINs including their pros and cons. By the end of this course, you will be able to modify data using different functions and have a familiarity with the fundamentals of SQL for data science.
Who is this course for?
This course is ideal for you if you want to learn the basics of SQL and gradually move your way through to more advanced concepts. It doesn’t matter if you have no prior experience in SQL, if you are interested in learning SQL, this is perfect for you to get a strong foundation in the workings of the language.
Course Highlights
- Prior SQL skills are not required
- Practical assignments with clear examples
6. Learn SQL
Codecademy is one of the leading educational platforms that offers interactive courses in order to hone your skills. In this course, you will learn SQL from the beginning. Around 1,289,374 people have taken this course and it spans over a period of 7 hours.
This course covers the essential concepts of SQL. You will learn to manipulate the data in a database. Using SQL, you will access, create and update the stored data. You will also learn to write about queries by understanding the essential query keywords and functionality.
Apart from that, the instructor shows the importance of aggregate functions by explaining the database operations. You will also learn to create and manipulate databases with multiple related tables. By the end of this course, you would have learned to create portfolio projects on your own and master the syntax to memory with the challenging quizzes.
Who is this course for?
This course is more suitable for absolute beginners who want to get started in learning SQL. If you are looking for a course with no prerequisites and more practice projects, this course is the right choice for you.
Course Highlights
- No prerequisites are required
- Four practice projects
- You will learn to manipulate data and build queries
7. The Ultimate MySQL Bootcamp: Go from SQL Beginner to Expert
Another best seller from Udemy by Cole Steele and Ian Schoonover. This is a great course which is well explained and easy to understand. Instructor Colt is a developer with a passion for teaching and is one of the best instructors on Udemy. Ian is a full stack developer who loves helping others to learn code and enhance their skill set.
The course material is well structured, and the instructors are very knowledgeable. You will learn to create your own database and also will be able to work with an existing database. You will also learn the SQL syntax from scratch and how to analyze data using aggregate functions. Apart from that, you will also learn about logical operators and string functions.
On course completion, you will be able to build a web application using node.js and MySQL. You will also be able to generate reports using the stored data. Around 132,278 students have enrolled for this course and it consists of 320 lectures spanning over a period of 20 hours and 28 minutes.
Who is this course for?
It doesn’t matter if you have no prior experience in SQL or not. If you are interested in learning SQL for your career advancement or to hone your skills, this is the right course to understand how to handle data.
Course Highlights
- You will learn to model real world data
- You will create your own database and web application using node.js and MySQL
- Certificate of completion
- You will become an expert in SQL
8. Creating Programmatic SQL Database Objects
This is another popular SQL course on edX offered by Microsoft. In this course, you will be introduced to how to develop a programmatic SQL database object. The instructors Geoff Allix and Pete Harris are experts from Microsoft who are very knowledgeable in SQL.
You will learn to create sorted procedures and creating triggers. This course also covers how to create user defined functions and implement managed code with SQL common language runtime. You will also implement code with R programming.
The course offers 4 weeks’ worth of course content, which can be completed with 2-3 hours of effort per week. Upon completing this course, you will be able to add functionality to your database.
Who is this course for?
This course is for intermediates who want to learn in-depth concepts in SQL and create programmatic SQL database objects. Before enrolling in this course, make sure you have basic knowledge in writing T-SQL queries and an understanding of relational database concepts.
Course Highlights
- Verified certificate
- Content taught by experts
9. Introduction to Structured Query Language (SQL)
This course is offered by the University of Michigan on Coursera. It is one of the highly rated courses with a rating of 4.8 out of 5. Around 39,981 students have enrolled for the course and have learned structured query language. Charles Russell Severance designed this course very well and has been teaching technology-oriented courses as well as written a number of books.
Charles begins with providing step by step instructions on installing the localhost, MAMP or XAMPP. He also explains how to create a database and understanding the basic syntax of the SQL language. This course also covers various topics like multiple tables, foreign keys and the JOIN operation. You will also learn to model many to many relationships.
Who is this course for?
This course is perfect for you if you are interested in learning structured query language. The step by step approach is easy to follow and perfect for beginners who want to gain a deep understanding of the workings of SQL.
Course Highlights
- You will learn to design and create a relational database
- Challenging assignments
- Enhances the foundational SQL concepts
10. Managing Big Data with MySQL
Another highly rated course on Coursera offered by Duke University. This course has around 111,660 students enrolled and has an average rating of 4.7 out of 5. The course is also a part of the specialization offered by the Duke University.
The instructors Daniel Egger and Jana Schaich Borg explain how to use relational databases in business analytics. This course is very detailed and offers a clear understanding of each concept. The course also covers how to use entity relationship diagrams. You will learn to extract data from single and multiple tables.
By the end of this course you will be familiar with the SQL syntax and be able to handle data. The last module in this course will help you to improve the concepts in the course with exercises and quizzes.
Who is this course for?
This is an introductory course perfect for people who want to manage their data with MySQL. If you are looking to gain an understanding of relational databases, this course is a perfect choice for you to get started.
Course Highlights
- You will learn to use SQL for analyzing datasets
- Challenging course with practical assignments
- You will be able to manage MySQL databases
11. Learning SQL Programming
Another highly recommended course by Scott Simpson who is a well-known author at LinkedIn. Around 141,741 students have viewed this course and learned SQL programming. The course consists of 4 modules spanning over a period of 1 hour and 27 minutes.
In this course, you will learn to request data from a server. You will also learn to retrieve data from multiple tables. The course also covers data types, math and functions. Also included is to add, delete and update the data in a database. You will learn the best approach to delete data.
Upon course completion you would have learned to retrieve data from relational databases, perform math operations and transform data into different formats.
Who is this course for?
This is a beginner level course and offers an introduction to SQL with its essential features. If you are looking to hone your database development or improve your SQL skills, this course is a perfect choice for you.
Course Highlights
- Offers exercise files
- You will learn SQL programming from scratch
12. Databases and SQL for Data Science
Yet another highly rated course offered by IBM on Coursera, which has an average rating of 4.7 out of 5. Around 59,768 students have enrolled for the course, which was taught by Rav Ahuja. He is a Global Program Director at IBM and has a bachelor’s from McGill University and a master’s from the University of Western Ontario.
In this course, the instructor has clear explanations about databases, and you will learn to create a database instance on the cloud. You will also learn to use string patterns and ranges to search for data. Apart from that, you will also learn other advanced SQL concepts like filter, sort, group results, built-in functions and access multiple tables.
Furthermore, you will learn to write basic SQL statements like create, drop, select, insert, update and delete. By the end of this course, you will be able to access databases and work with real world datasets.
Who is this course for?
This course is perfect for absolute beginners who want to learn at their own pace in order to better get familiarized with each concept. If you are a working professional looking for the right SQL course to get started, this is an ideal choice for you. You will gain knowledge of databases and SQL.
Course Highlights
- Practical lab assignments and quizzes
- You will learn to create a database and work with real data sets
Why Learn SQL?
Data is the most valuable asset in any type of business, therefore, knowing the most effective way to handle data is always going to be a high in demand skill to possess.
SQL being the most popular and commonly used database language today, makes it one of the most sought-after skills required for database job hiring. By learning SQL, you not only increase your marketability, but will make yourself useful in various other technological uses. It is an open source language and is easy to learn.
No matter what era we are in, the demand for SQL skills will remain very high, as most businesses have a need for collecting data. Pick the best SQL certification course of your liking from the best SQL courses online and enrol,l to better your chances of gaining that coveted job or project.
Conclusion
Data is everywhere and the importance of SQL can be clearly seen within every business digitizing their data. It has become a valuable skill that is vital for any type of business to access and analyze the data. It is also quite easy to learn. This skillset can help in your career growth and may land you a job as a data analyst or marketing professional. It doesn’t matter if you are a novice or an expert, the compiled list of SQL courses will enhance your SQL skills. Dive through the best SQL certification courses from our curated list and master SQL programming.