Whenever you think of database administration or database management, SQL is the first thing that comes to mind, and rightly so. SQL was explicitly designed for accessing and manipulating databases. Over the years, SQL has gained massive popularity in multiple domains, including database administration, backend web development, Data Science, and Business Intelligence (BI). Since all of these fields involve storing and retrieving colossal volumes of data for data analysis, SQL skills are a must.  

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What is SQL?

SQL is a programming language that stands for Structured Query Language. As we mentioned, it is specifically designed to operate databases. It is a standard programming language for relational database management systems (RDMS). You can use SQL to create, manipulate, and share data. All the popular RDMS platforms like Oracle, Sybase, Informix, Postgres, MySQL, MS Access, and SQL Server use SQL as their standard database language.

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Read: SQL Developer Salary in India

Why is SQL so popular?

SQL offers many advantages, which makes it immensely popular in the developer and Data Science community. Some of the best aspects of SQL are:

• It allows you to describe and summarize the data. 
• It enables you to access data stored in the RDMS. 
• It facilitates the creation of views, procedures, and functions in databases.
• It lets you set permissions on views, tables, and procedures.
• Apart from data manipulation, it allows you to create and drop databases.
• You can embed SQL within other languages by using SQL modules, libraries, and pre-compilers. 

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Why Learn SQL?

Here’s why you should invest your time in mastering SQL:

1. SQL is Omnipresent

As we said, SQL is relevant for anything that has to do with data. From small firms to big corporations, SQL skills are required by companies of any size and industry. After all, SQL is an excellent choice for data querying and data analysis. Big names like Netflix, Facebook, Google, Amazon, Uber, and Airbnb use SQL in their tech stack. Learn more about SQL for data science.

2. It has an easy learning curve

Similar to Python, SQL has an easy learning curve. Once you understand the basic concepts of how SQL functions, writing queries is a breeze. And once you ace SQL queries, you will learn how to combines simple queries for data manipulation, develop ML projects, and run SQL on multiple platforms. The syntax is pretty similar to that of the English language. 

3. It is capable of handling colossal volumes of data

Every day, the world generates unprecedented amounts of data. While businesses need to tap into this data and utilize it for smart business decisions, traditional spreadsheets no longer suffice for such vast data volumes. This is where SQL comes to the rescue. SQL is designed to handle and manage vast data pools of structured and unstructured data without any hassle.

4. It is the ideal choice for data mining

SQL enables you to access and mine the required information from the stored data at high speeds without compromising quality and efficiency. You can use SQL queries to view/modify events, identify specific data, monitor database activity, and extract highly-specific information at any time.

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5. It allows you to gather data from disparate sources

Any business that leverages data must collect data from multiple and varied sources. While this is a time-intensive task, SQL makes the process much easier. Through its UNION operations, SQL lets you declare the fields or databases that you wish to combine.

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6. Troubleshooting is relatively easy with SQL

SQL allows for easy and fast troubleshooting of issues. Let’s say there’s a syntax error in your code, it will be displayed – be it a missing or misspelled command or an indicator mentioned at the wrong place. If you try to use a table/database that doesn’t exist, it will return the result, saying that the table/database you’re searching for does not exist.

7. SQL is backed by high-demand in the market

According to a recent study of job postings, SQL emerged as the most in-demand tech skill. The demand for SQL experts is at an all-time high at companies across multiple sectors, ranging from startups to established companies. Basically, the job market for SQL is expanding rapidly. Thus, it is an opportune time to acquire SQL skills. 

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Learn SQL online free: The upGrad advantage

Anyone who wishes to work with data or enter the field of Data Science must be well-versed with the SQL programming language. What if you could learn SQL for free?

upGrad has a free SQL course that’s perfect for beginners. This course is offered as a part of upGrad’s upStart-Priceless Learning initiative. The free SQL course is a four-week course that includes three modules covering the basics and advanced level concepts of SQL.

Students are trained by top mentors and industry leaders. They learn via one-on-one mentorship, live interaction sessions, and well-designed course materials. On course completion, each candidate is awarded a certificate of completion. The course is highly industry-specific, so rest assured, by the end of the course, you will be ready to take on SQL-related job roles.

The three modules under upGrad’s free SQL course include:

1. Database Design and Intro to MySQL Advanced SQL

This module will teach you all about database design. You will also learn the basics of MySQL using MySQL Workbench 2. This module aims to build a strong foundation in SQL.

2. Advanced SQL

This module progresses to more advanced SQL concepts such as window functions, case statements, stored functions, and query optimization.

3. SQL Assignment (1 & 2)

In the final stage, students get to apply the knowledge gained in an experiment involving buying and selling stocks. This experiment aims to enhance the real-world SQL skills of learners. 

Must Read: SQL Project Ideas and Topics 

Professional Uses of SQL

Many different professions and businesses apply SQL. As a result of its widespread use in management systems today, SQL continues to be a preferred option for software applications. Due to SQL’s adaptability and flexibility, it has various business applications, and many people opt for free SQL certification.

Here is a list of some common professional applications of SQL – 

• SEO analysts use SQL to assist them in managing vast amounts of data as they analyze information and modify website content to boost search traffic.
• Database administrators ensure that their company’s database software correctly organizes and saves data so that employees can easily access it. They frequently lead SQL Developer teams. Additionally, database administrators optimize SQL queries, keep an eye on audits and backups, and maintain the security and accessibility of SQL databases. A free SQL certification can be of great help.
• Being able to extract and analyze Big Data to find solutions requires a solid understanding of SQL, a skill that Data Scientists frequently conduct.
• Business analysts frequently utilize SQL to obtain deeper insights hidden in database data. It will be great to have an SQL online course with certificate. 
• The analysis, organization, and sorting of huge data sets can be done considerably more efficiently by journalists who are familiar with SQL than it would take them to do it by hand. Currently, the National Union of Journalists and other international journalism organizations employ SQL to aid with database information retrieval. One of the top nine indispensable technologies for data journalism, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, is SQL.
• To produce application software and computer system software, software engineers employ a range of programming languages like SQL, which they frequently use in their work. 

Is SQL Certificate Required For a Job?

So far, we have understood what SQL is and how important it is to study an SQL certification free. There is one question that every Data Science and Machine Learning expert has in mind, is SQL certification important to land a job?

Many positions needing SQL expertise don’t require certification, and companies frequently prioritise experience over credentials. However, some hiring managers might seek out candidates with pertinent certificates.

SQL certification requirements could be more typical for jobs requiring a lot of time working with certain vendors’ or platforms’ technologies. Employers could need candidates to hold a certification. Even if it is SQL online course with certificate. 

For example, if you are looking for a data scientist job, no certification is mentioned in the resume. At this point, if you show proof of your skill with the help of a SQL online course with certificate. This may prove to be relevant for your job. 

Here is a list of some amazing jobs that you can get after you complete an SQL certification free – 

• Business Analyst – As a business analyst, you would have to use business analysis to assist and direct firms toward better goods, services, software, and procedures. For this, you need to have a good understanding of SQL. 
• Data Scientist – You will concentrate largely as a data scientist on applying machine learning methods to make the most of the data discovered. The operation of a business and the soft skills necessary for a business analyst are not, however, prerequisites for this job description. SQL will be quite beneficial for you. 
• Journalist – As a journalist, you would gather news information, conduct research, write about it, and disseminate it to the public. Because of your quick analysis, organization, and filing of mountains of data, journalists with SQL skills will be in high demand.
• Software Engineer – You would be the ingenious mind behind computer programs if you were a software developer. You will be creating applications that enable users of computers, cellphones, and other devices to perform particular activities. You must be proficient in SQL if you want to work as a software developer.

How to Start

To join our machine learning online course free, follow these simple steps:

• Head to our upStart page
• Choose the course you want to join
• Register

All the courses present on our upStart page are available for free and don’t require any monetary investment. These courses help you kickstart your learning journey and get acquainted with the fundamentals of such complicated subjects.

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