Book excerpt: Get to grips with SQL fundamentals and learn how to efficiently create, read and update information stored in databases Key FeaturesUnderstand the features and syntax of SQL and use them to query databasesLearn how to create databases and tables and manipulate the data within themCreate advanced queries and apply them on realistic databases with hands-on activitiesBook Description Many software applications are backed by powerful relational database systems, meaning that the skills to be able to maintain a SQL database and reliably retrieve data are in high demand. With its simple syntax and effective data manipulation capabilities, SQL enables you to manage relational databases with ease. The SQL Workshop will help you progress from basic to advanced-level SQL queries in order to create and manage databases successfully. This Workshop begins with an introduction to basic CRUD commands and gives you an overview of the different data types in SQL. You'll use commands for narrowing down the search results within a database and learn about data retrieval from single and multiple tables in a single query. As you advance, you'll use aggregate functions to perform calculations on a set of values, and implement process automation using stored procedures, functions, and triggers. Finally, you'll secure your database against potential threats and use access control to keep your data safe. Throughout this Workshop, you'll use your skills on a realistic database for an online shop, preparing you for solving data problems in the real world. By the end of this book, you'll have built the knowledge, skills and confidence to creatively solve real-world data problems with SQL. What you will learnCreate databases and insert data into themUse SQL queries to create, read, update, and delete dataMaintain data integrity and consistency through normalizationCustomize your basic SQL queries to get the desired outputRefine your database search using the WHERE and HAVING clausesUse joins to fetch data from multiple tables and create custom reportsImprove web application performance by automating processesSecure a database with GRANT and REVOKE privilegesWho this book is for This Workshop is suitable for anyone who wants to learn how to use SQL to work with databases. No prior SQL or database experience is necessary. Whether you're an aspiring software developer, database engineer, data scientist, or systems administrator, this Workshop will quickly get you up and running.