SQL Server Fundamentals

Build a strong foundation in SQL Server by learning how to query, join, and manipulate data using standard SQL syntax. This hands-on course covers everything from writing your first SELECT statement to designing normalized tables and managing transactions, giving you the practical querying skills needed to work confidently with relational databases.

What You'll Learn

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Write SELECT statements with filtering, sorting, and aggregation to retrieve meaningful data
• Join tables using INNER, LEFT, RIGHT, and FULL joins to combine related data sets
• Use subqueries and Common Table Expressions (CTEs) to solve complex querying problems
• Insert, update, and delete data while managing transactions with COMMIT and ROLLBACK
• Design normalized tables with primary keys, foreign keys, and proper relationships
• Combine result sets using UNION and UNION ALL and simplify repeated queries with views

Requirements

• Familiarity with data concepts such as tables and records
• No prior SQL Server experience required

Audience

• Application Developers
• Data Analysts
• Business Intelligence Specialists
• Anyone who needs foundational skills in querying relational databases

Topics

Introduction to SQL Server

• Overview of SQL Server and Relational Databases
• SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) Basics
• Understanding Databases, Tables, and Schemas

Querying Data

• SELECT Statements and Filtering Data (WHERE, ORDER BY)
• Joining Tables (INNER, LEFT, RIGHT, FULL)
• Using Subqueries and Common Table Expressions (CTEs)
• Aggregation and Grouping (GROUP BY, HAVING)

Data Modification

• INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE Statements
• Transactions and ACID Concepts
• Using COMMIT and ROLLBACK

Table Design and Normalization

• Designing Tables and Defining Primary Keys
• Understanding Relationships and Foreign Keys
• Normalization Concepts (1NF, 2NF, 3NF)

Working with Multiple Queries

• UNION and UNION ALL
• Combining Results from Multiple Tables
• Using Views to Simplify Querying

Practical Exercises

• Hands-on practice creating tables and inserting data
• Writing queries with joins, subqueries, and unions
• Implementing transactions and practicing rollback scenarios