Is SQL Easy to Learn?

Structured Query Language (SQL) or sequel is a programming language used to store and retrieve data in a database management system. It is highly beneficial for retrieving data from nearly every kind of database including desktop databases, online analytical processing systems, and relational databases. These advantages make it enticing for someone to learn and utilize SQL, but how easy is this process?

SQL is deemed relatively easy for anyone to learn, even if with limited to no background knowledge regarding the language and its associated technologies. However, knowing the fundamentals of SQL prior to learning can make the process significantly easier, especially if you intend to master the language.

If you’re interested in learning SQL but are uncertain of its difficulty, read on as we describe this popular language and provide tips for learning it as quickly and easily as possible.

What Is SQL?

Thanks to technological advancements, particularly the infinite realms of the Internet, there is always an unfathomable amount of data accessible if you know how. That is where SQL comes in.

SQL is a computer programming language that has become the standard in database management. With the use of this language, you can read, write, and maintain data located within a relational database that can be used to guide business decisions, improve websites and applications, and reap other benefits.

Generally, SQL is used to perform one of five commands:

• SELECT: location and extraction of data from database
• UPDATE: adjust and modify data
• DELETE- erase data from a database
• CREATE DATABASE- creation of new database
• CREATE TABLE- creation of a new table within the database

SQL is used in every major database system, including Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, and IBM DB2, and is deemed a vast improvement on its predecessors ISAM and VSAM as one of the few fourth-generation languages.

As opposed to other common options, like Java and C++, SQL allows the user to perform access several records simultaneously with a single command, making it one of the most efficient methods for accessing databases in addition to its manipulation capabilities.

Can Anyone Learn SQL?

Oftentimes when people hear the terms “computer program language,” “database” and other technological jargon, they assume something like SQL is well beyond their abilities and would take years to learn. While it certainly takes a fair share of dedication and effort, learning SQL is easier than you’d think.

SQL is one of the easiest entry points to learning computer programming/coding languages and can allow you to even access other useful languages, like Java, Javascript, and HTML with ease.

While the language can pose a slight challenge to beginners who have no prior knowledge on computer languages, most are capable of grasping SQL within a few months. However, if you are fortunate enough to know a thing or two about similar languages already and have previous coding skills, you’ll likely get the hang of SQL within a few weeks.

Of course, if your goal is to completely master SQL, it will take years of regular practice and studying before you can claim this title but knowing the right tips and tricks for getting started can help you reach this goal exponentially faster than others.

How To Get Started Learning SQL

When faced with a challenge as daunting as learning a new computer programming language, you might find yourself at a loss for where to start. Although SQL is relatively easy to learn in a few weeks or months, the road ahead will still be filled with challenges and you’ll want to go into the process with the right mentality, useful resources, and a plan.

Below are our top recommendations for how beginners can get started on their SQL learning journey that will guarantee you master the language rather than it mastering you.

Brace Yourself Mentally For The Challenges Ahead

We’ve mentioned a few times now that SQL is far from the hardest language to learn, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be times in the coming weeks where you’ll write a query that will completely fail. Sometimes, it’ll take minutes or hours of learning and research to even figure out why it didn’t work.

This is all part of the process! Learning languages like SQL takes time, dedication, and patience. If you’re entering this process thinking it’ll be a complete breeze, you’ll likely find yourself immensely frustrated at every source of confusion and failure.

This is why recommend beginners go into learning SQL with the mindset that this will be a challenge they can confidently overcome as long as they’re ambitious and motivated. Having a goal in mind, such as a project or a future career, can help with this and give you a reason to keep practicing and pushing when you feel like things aren’t clicking.

Start With The Basics

You don’t need extensive knowledge of coding languages and algorithms to start learning SQL. While these can be extremely helpful, and we encourage you to learn them either before or after you grasp this language, most beginners can learn SQL by just starting with the basics.

By this, we mean dedicating the first few days or even weeks to understanding database concepts, since that is what SQL revolves around. This might take more research time than people prefer, but you can’t write with SQL until you understand what you’re trying to achieve, how to achieve it, and how to troubleshoot issues, which only comes from a firm grasp of the basics.

Once you understand the key points of databases, try to perform very simple commands, as this can do wonders for your learning and your confidence early on.

Some examples include:

• Creating a Database
• Creating Tables
• Inserting
• Updating
• Deleting
• Selecting
• Grouping
• Summing
• Indexing
• Joining

Practicing these commands when writing with SQL will allow you to smoothly ease into more advanced queries. It might help to start with one, increase the difficulty over time, and then move on to the next.

Practice, Practice, Practice

It’s the age-old piece of advice that practice makes perfect and it, unsurprisingly, applies here. Many SQL masters recommend that the best way for beginners to learn this language is for them to download a free version of a database on a regularly accessible device and use it to practice… a lot.

SQL Express edition is a renowned tool for beginners that will allow them to practice the language for free when paired with graphical user interfaces, such as:

• SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
• Azure Data Studio
• Toad for SQL

Once you’re equipped with these tools, start with those basics, like creating simple queries, and practice them over and over until you’re confident enough to move on. If you’re stuck or the query fails, take it as a learning opportunity rather than a personal failure and try to figure out what went wrong.

Utilizing online tools like YouTube videos or classes held by collegiate professors can also help bolster your learning and might provide the answers to questions you haven’t been able to figure out alone. There are even tutorials on articles and SQL programs that will show you to exactly to perform various queries for you to then practice on your own.

Final Thoughts

SQL is a powerful tool that can allow you to take advantage of the endless amount of data just at your fingertips. The increased relevance and advantages posed by data has led countless beginners to try their hand at learning this language and realizing that, with the right tools and mindset, it is easy to grasp in mere months. So, if you’re interested in computer programming languages, we highly recommend starting with SQL and utilizing what you learn to broaden your technological horizons.