My SQL Month
Published: 2021-09-08 10:39:29

At the first team meeting of August, 2021, the WellaHealth Technologies Engineering Team Lead, **Bayo**, advised everyone on the team to pick up a skill to learn for the month.

This learning process would not replace the tasks we were each handling for the company but would be something we would work on to help with our growth. 

![Assigned Task](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/ehjqic8izedtecziedt6.jpeg)

I decided to learn **SQL(*Structured Query Language*)** which is a computer language for storing, manipulating and retrieving data stored in a relational database. 

>**A relational database** refers to a database that stores data in a structured format, using rows and columns.

>It is "relational" because the values within each table are related to each other. 

>Tables may also be related to other tables.

[Tech Terms](https://techterms.com/definition/rdbms
)
***
The first thing I did was to find a clear and complete SQL resource for learning. I found the perfect course on [SoloLearn](https://www.sololearn.com/Course/SQL/?ref=app) which had **27 modules** which each contained practical explanations, exercises and challenges.

After finding the SQL course, I divided the **27 modules** into **3 weeks** while I allocated the extra week in the month to solving complex excercises. This meant I had to cover 9 modules in a week. 

I found out that breaking a huge task into smaller tasks made it easier for me to complete the main task.

Back to my SQL learning, in those three weeks I allocated for learning, **I finished the complete SQL course where I learned how to use the:**
* SELECT
* DISTINCT
* LIMIT
* WHERE
* AND
* OR
* IN
* NOT IN
* LIKE
* MIN
* UNION
* INSERT
* UPDATE 
* DELETE
* NOT NULL
* AUTO_INCREMENT 
**statements.**

**I also learnt:**
* How to sort results
* Custom columns 
* Functions
* Subqueries
* Different types of JOIN
* Creating a table
* Altering, Dropping, Renaming a table
* Views 

This was a lot to learn but it was super interesting due to SQL language being quite similar to English Language which made it easy relating to the various terms. 

When I was done with the course, I took an online SQL [assessment](https://www.w3schools.com/SQL/exercise.asp?fbclid=IwAR0dM3iqkVUskctJw71S0KZGIHhPLON7MfUwTc1IZpwTtrNKYqZA90XkhIY 
) through W3Schools where I gauged my knowledge and also learnt more.

![Task](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/tj21ibjram4tnfn744tb.jpeg)

After these three weeks, Bayo assigned an SQL task where I had to insert data into an already created table with various columns.

Inserting the data using SQL was a more tedious process compared to cases where I had written a code to put data into the table but when I was done with the task, I was glad that I was able to apply the SQL knowledge I had learnt during the month.
***
It's the 27th of August and I am currently working on more SQL tasks on SSMS while carrying out research on the skill I would learn next month.

I am excited that at Wellahealth, I get to learn something new everyday and challenge myself while being accountable to my team. 

Would you say you learnt or got to understand a concept this month?
 What was it? 

**References:** 
* [SoloLearn](https://www.sololearn.com/Course/SQL/?ref=app) 
* [Tech Terms](https://techterms.com/definition/rdbms
)
* [Raw Pixels](https://www.rawpixel.com)