Intro to databases and SQL

$150

Intro to databases and SQL

Started Nov 15, 2020 at 11:00 AM EST

Watch the recorded 4-hour class that I gave in October 2020 — and learn how to use SQL to organize your data!

Let's take the mystery out of SQL

We are living in an age of data. From the largest company to the smallest, the ability to store, retrieve, and manipulate data has never been greater.

The good news? Databases have been around for decades, and provide us with all of the capabilities that we need on this front.
The bad news? Databases can seem arcane and mysterious. Moreover, you communicate with a database using SQL, a "query language" — sort of like a programming language, but not really.

The thing is, SQL doesn't have to be a mystery. With the right perspective and a core set of concepts and commands, you can perform all sorts of complex queries, manipulating and retrieving data with ease.

Moreover, SQL is used by a huge number of platforms and systems, from huge government systems all the way down to your smartphone. For example, Web applications often use SQL to track orders and user information.

In this 4-hour course, I'll introduce you to SQL via the open-source PostgreSQL database. There will be numerous exercises and many opportunities to ask me questions. After the course is over, you'll have access to an exclusive forum in which you can ask me questions about SQL.

Join me for this recording of a live, online course I gave in October 2020. You'll come away with knowledge that you can put to use immediately!

Course syllabus

Intro to relational databases
Communicating with databases
Creating tables
Inserting data
Retrieving data
Conditions
Indexes
Normalization
Joins

Who am I?

I'm Reuven Lerner, a self-employed consultant since 1995, and a corporate trainer since 2000. In 2019, I traveled to to the US, UK, Europe, Israel, India, and China, giving corporate training classes to some of the best-known companies in the Fortune 500.

I have been using SQL and relational databases for more than 25 years, and wrote about them extensively in my monthly Linux Journal column, which ran from 1996-2019. I've also taught classes in SQL to such companies as Cisco and Dell, and I've done consulting for companies big and small to help them to resolve database problems.

This is the first time I'm offering this class to individuals online. I hope that you'll join me; I promise that it'll be fun and interesting, as well as practical and useful. Before the class ends, you'll already know how to create and manipulate a database using SQL. What could be better?

FAQs

Wait, is this a live class?

It was a live class, given in October 2020. However, you can still purchase the course and get access to the materials, as if you had participated at the time.

How much do I need to know about databases and SQL to take this class?

Nothing! I'll assume that you have little or no experience with relational databases.

How much programming do I need to know in order to take this class?

We won't be doing any programming per se, and I'd thus like to say that you don't need to know any programming language. However, I'd argue that some understanding of programming will come in handy — and you'll certainly need to be familiar with a computer.

What software will we be using?

I'll be teaching with the PostgreSQL database, an amazing open-source database that I've been using for more than 20 years.

I'll provide complete installation instructions in the forum before the course begins.

Wait, what forum?

Databases can be complex, and it's quite possible that you will have questions even after the live class ends. So I'm setting up a private forum for people who are taking the class. You'll be able to ask questions there, as well as get technical support on setting up your database.

Will there be any exercises or labs?

Absolutely! If you've taken one my courses before, then you know that I'm a big believer in learning through doing and practice. There will be numerous exercises throughout the course.

I should note that exercises in a class like this are a bit different from those in a programming class. The aim isn't to solve a programming problem, but rather to set up a database, or get the answer to a question that I'm asking based on data I've provided.

For how long will I have access to the recording?

Forever.

Do you offer any discounts?

Yes, my standard discounts apply:

Students
Pensioners/seniors/retirees
People living outside of the world's 30 richest countries
Anyone affected adversely by the coronavirus/covid pandemic

If one or more of these categories applies to you, then please e-mail me at reuven@lerner.co.il, and I'll send you an appropriate coupon code. I want my courses to be available to as many people as possible!

I have other questions.

Please e-mail me at reuven@lerner.co.il! I'm always happy to answer questions.