{"id":130273,"date":"2022-04-13T17:59:55","date_gmt":"2022-04-13T21:59:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/?post_type=codex-reference&#038;p=130273"},"modified":"2025-02-04T14:41:21","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T19:41:21","slug":"basics","status":"publish","type":"codex-reference","link":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/learn\/sql\/basics","title":{"rendered":"Basics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<header class=\"wp-block-bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview\"><div class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__full-width-wrapper bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__full-width-wrapper--main\"><svg fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__bg-flair--full\"><g opacity=\"0.35\"><path d=\"M-103.887 96.613H499.5\" stroke=\"#3C4556\" strokelinecap=\"square\"><\/path><path cliprule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M174.55-136.427v254.863-254.863zm139.219 0v254.863-254.863zm139.219 0v254.863-254.863zM35.332-232v350.436V-232z\" stroke=\"#3C4556\" strokelinecap=\"square\"><\/path><path fillrule=\"evenodd\" cliprule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M35.361 100.134c1.76 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.427-3.23-3.187-3.23-1.76 0-3.187 1.447-3.187 3.23 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23zm139.17 0c1.76 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.427-3.23-3.187-3.23-1.76 0-3.187 1.447-3.187 3.23 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23zm139.169 0c1.761 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.426-3.23-3.187-3.23-1.76 0-3.187 1.447-3.187 3.23 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23zm139.17 0c1.76 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.427-3.23-3.187-3.23-1.76 0-3.187 1.447-3.187 3.23 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23z\" fill=\"#3C4556\"><\/path><path d=\"M-244.061 214.487H499.5\" stroke=\"#3C4556\" strokelinecap=\"square\"><\/path><path cliprule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M174.55 214.009v254.863-254.863zm139.219 0v254.863-254.863zm139.219 0v254.863-254.863zM35.332 118.436v350.436-350.436z\" stroke=\"#3C4556\" strokelinecap=\"square\"><\/path><path fillrule=\"evenodd\" cliprule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M35.361 218.03c1.76 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.427-3.229-3.187-3.229-1.76 0-3.187 1.446-3.187 3.229 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23zm139.17 0c1.76 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.427-3.229-3.187-3.229-1.76 0-3.187 1.446-3.187 3.229 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23zm139.169 0c1.761 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.426-3.229-3.187-3.229-1.76 0-3.187 1.446-3.187 3.229 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23zm139.17 0c1.76 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.427-3.229-3.187-3.229-1.76 0-3.187 1.446-3.187 3.229 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23z\" fill=\"#3C4556\"><\/path><path d=\"M534.544 96.613h140.811m138.263 0H1417\" stroke=\"#3C4556\" strokelinecap=\"square\"><\/path><path cliprule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M674.718 96.772v21.664-21.664zM813.618-232v350.436V-232zm139.218 0v350.436V-232z\" stroke=\"#3C4556\" strokelinecap=\"square\"><\/path><path fillrule=\"evenodd\" cliprule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M535.357 100.134c1.761 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.426-3.23-3.187-3.23-1.76 0-3.187 1.447-3.187 3.23 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23zm139.17 0c1.76 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.427-3.23-3.187-3.23-1.76 0-3.187 1.447-3.187 3.23 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23zm139.169 0c1.761 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.426-3.23-3.187-3.23-1.76 0-3.187 1.447-3.187 3.23 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23zm139.17 0c1.76 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.427-3.23-3.187-3.23-1.76 0-3.187 1.447-3.187 3.23 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23z\" fill=\"#3C4556\"><\/path><path d=\"M673.444 214.487H1417\" stroke=\"#3C4556\" strokelinecap=\"square\"><\/path><path cliprule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M674.718 118.436v228.739-228.739zm138.9 0v350.436-350.436zm139.218 0v350.436-350.436z\" stroke=\"#3C4556\" strokelinecap=\"square\"><\/path><path fillrule=\"evenodd\" cliprule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M813.696 218.03c1.761 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.426-3.229-3.187-3.229-1.76 0-3.187 1.446-3.187 3.229 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23zm139.17 0c1.76 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.427-3.229-3.187-3.229-1.76 0-3.187 1.446-3.187 3.229 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23zm-278.339 0c1.76 0 3.187-1.446 3.187-3.23 0-1.783-1.427-3.229-3.187-3.229-1.76 0-3.187 1.446-3.187 3.229 0 1.784 1.427 3.23 3.187 3.23z\" fill=\"#3C4556\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><div class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__container\"><div class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__copy-container\"><p class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__subtitle\">SQL tutorial<\/p><h1 class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__title\">SQL Basics<\/h1><p class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__description\">Learn more about SQL, a standard language for interacting with databases and storing, manipulating, and retrieving data from databases.<br><br><a href=\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/learn\/sql\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Go hands-on with SQL in our free interactive SQL tutorial.<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__image-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__image\" src=\"https:\/\/d3ghupt9z9s6o0.cloudfront.net\/app\/uploads\/2022\/04\/12115011\/Database-Light-Transparent.svg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__full-width-wrapper bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__full-width-wrapper--offset\"><div class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__container\"><div class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__card-container\"><div class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-with-overview__copy-card\"><nav class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-overview\"><h2 class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-overview__title\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\">Tutorial Contents<\/h2><ol class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-overview__list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-bstn-blocks-overview-link bstn-blocks-hero-overview-link bstn-blocks-hero-overview-link--indent-0\" style=\"margin-left:0px\"><a class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-overview-link__anchor\" href=\"#how-to-use-sql\">How to Use SQL<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-bstn-blocks-overview-link bstn-blocks-hero-overview-link bstn-blocks-hero-overview-link--indent-0\" style=\"margin-left:0px\"><a class=\"bstn-blocks-hero-overview-link__anchor\" href=\"#how-to-download-SQL\">How to Download SQL<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol><\/nav><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p class=\"is-style-bstn-paragraph-documentation-body\">SQL stands for <strong>S<\/strong>tructured <strong>Q<\/strong>uery <strong>L<\/strong>anguage, and is a language specifically for interacting with databases and returning data from databases. It can be helpful to think of each of the letters as in the breakdown below, to remember what SQL is, how it is used, and differs from other languages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Structured<\/strong>: as the language is used to interact with <strong>structured data<\/strong> stored in relational database management systems (RDBMS). That is, data that fits into tables with rows and columns, where each row is a record and each column is a data field for each record.<\/li><li><strong>Query: <\/strong>SQL is composed of different commands, the most common of which are <em>queries.<\/em> While these queries can be used to interact with the database in other ways, they are most commonly used to retrieve data from a database and return it to the user through software especially designed for this purpose.<\/li><li><strong>Language:<\/strong> SQL is a language and shares many common attributes and syntactical structures with other programming languages. However, unlike other multi-purpose languages (such as python or Java) which can be used for everything from application development to data analysis to building web services, SQL is specifically for querying data and interacting with databases.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-bstn-blocks-section-divider bstn-blocks-section-divider bstn-blocks-section-divider--grey bstn-blocks-section-divider--32\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-bstn-blocks-heading bstn-blocks-heading bstn-blocks-heading--h3 bstn-blocks-heading--mt-0 has-text-align-left\"><h2 class=\"bstn-blocks-heading__heading-element\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\">How to Use SQL<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-bstn-paragraph-documentation-body\">SQL is used to query and return data from a database. SQL commands are sent to the SQL engine which runs as part of the database application software, which then interprets the code, executes it, and returns the data (and\/or result of the operation) to the user.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-bstn-paragraph-documentation-body\">The machine running the database and SQL engine is referred to as the SQL <em>server<\/em>, whereas the machine sending queries to be executed and receiving the results is referred to as the <em>client<\/em>.<em>&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-bstn-paragraph-documentation-body\">More generally, this also refers to the software running the database and SQL engine (server) and software which allows a user to send commands to the server to execute (client). The machines running the server and client software may be different (<em>e.g. <\/em>a user in a large organization executing queries from their laptop to a server machine storing data for the entire company) or the same, if the server and client software are both run locally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-bstn-blocks-heading bstn-blocks-heading bstn-blocks-heading--h3 bstn-blocks-heading--mt-0 has-text-align-left\" id=\"how-to-download-SQL\"><h2 class=\"bstn-blocks-heading__heading-element\">How to Download SQL<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-bstn-paragraph-documentation-body\">To use SQL, you can download a SQL client application to allow you to connect to and execute queries against a server. If you are just getting started with SQL, you would probably download both the SQL server and client software, such that you can work with data locally and execute queries without needing to connect to an externally hosted database. While there are many different variants of SQL which have their own specific client applications, in the BrainStation <a href=\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/course\/online\/data-analytics\">data analytics certificate<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/course\/online\/remote-data-science-bootcamp\">data science bootcamp<\/a> programs, we recommend using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mysql.com\/products\/community\/\">MySQL<\/a> which is a free, cross-platform application for running a server (database) as well as executing queries and SQL commands through the client application (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mysql.com\/products\/workbench\/\">MySQLWorkbench<\/a>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-bstn-blocks-content-navigation-footer bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer\"><div class=\"bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__links-container\"><div class=\"bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link-container\"><p class=\"bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link-title bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link--desktop\">Previous<\/p><a class=\"bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link\" href=\"\/learn\/sql\/reference\"><span class=\"bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link-icon-wrapper bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link-icon-wrapper--left\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 18\" fill=\"none\" class=\"bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link-icon bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link-icon--left\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M6.345 12.743a1 1 0 001.31 1.511l5.477-4.749a1 1 0 000-1.511l-5.477-4.75a1.001 1.001 0 00-1.31 1.512l4.606 3.993-4.606 3.994z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link-text bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link--desktop\">SQL Reference Overview<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link-container\"><p class=\"bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link-title\">Next<\/p><a class=\"bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link\" href=\"\/learn\/sql\/syntax\"><span class=\"bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link-text\">SQL Syntax<\/span><span class=\"bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link-icon-wrapper bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link-icon-wrapper--right\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 18\" fill=\"none\" class=\"bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link-icon bstn-blocks-content-nav-footer__link-icon--right\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M6.345 12.743a1 1 0 001.31 1.511l5.477-4.749a1 1 0 000-1.511l-5.477-4.75a1.001 1.001 0 00-1.31 1.512l4.606 3.993-4.606 3.994z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-bstn-blocks-container bstn-blocks-container bstn-blocks-container--dark-blue bstn-blocks-container--64 bstn-blocks-container--negative-container bstn-blocks-container--overflow-hidden\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 1140 621\" fill=\"none\" class=\"bstn-blocks-container__bg-flair\"><g opacity=\"0.55\"><path stroke=\"#3C4556\" strokelinecap=\"square\" d=\"M60.026 736.434V203.02\"><\/path><path stroke=\"#3C4556\" strokelinecap=\"square\" d=\"M60.364 436.132L-120 436.131l180.364.001zm0-99.873H-120 60.364zm0-99.872H-120 60.364zM128 536.004h-248 248z\" cliprule=\"evenodd\"><\/path><path fill=\"#3C4556\" fillrule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M57.518 535.982a2.286 2.286 0 114.572 0 2.286 2.286 0 01-4.572 0zm0-99.836a2.286 2.286 0 114.572-.002 2.286 2.286 0 01-4.572.002zm0-99.837a2.286 2.286 0 114.572-.002 2.286 2.286 0 01-4.572.002zm0-99.837a2.286 2.286 0 114.572-.002 2.286 2.286 0 01-4.572.002z\" cliprule=\"evenodd\"><\/path><\/g><g opacity=\"0.55\"><path stroke=\"#3C4556\" strokelinecap=\"square\" d=\"M979.195-28.206V397.98m81.185-524.745V397.98\"><\/path><path stroke=\"#3C4556\" strokelinecap=\"square\" d=\"M1141.45 168.46H964h177.45zm0 98.334H964h177.45zm0 98.333H964h177.45zm66.55-295H964h244z\" cliprule=\"evenodd\"><\/path><path fill=\"#3C4556\" fillrule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M1138.66 70.148a2.244 2.244 0 104.49 0 2.246 2.246 0 10-4.49-.001zm-80.21 0c0 1.243 1.01 2.251 2.25 2.251s2.25-1.008 2.25-2.251c0-1.243-1.01-2.251-2.25-2.251s-2.25 1.008-2.25 2.25zm-81.707 0a2.25 2.25 0 104.5.004 2.25 2.25 0 00-4.5-.005zm81.707 98.299a2.252 2.252 0 002.25 2.251 2.252 2.252 0 000-4.503 2.253 2.253 0 00-2.25 2.252zm-81.707 0a2.25 2.25 0 104.498 0 2.25 2.25 0 00-2.249-2.252 2.25 2.25 0 00-2.249 2.252zm161.917-.001a2.244 2.244 0 104.49 0 2.246 2.246 0 10-4.49 0zm0 98.299a2.244 2.244 0 104.49 0 2.246 2.246 0 10-4.49 0zm-80.21 0c0 1.243 1.01 2.251 2.25 2.251s2.25-1.008 2.25-2.251c0-1.243-1.01-2.251-2.25-2.251s-2.25 1.008-2.25 2.251zm-81.707 0a2.25 2.25 0 104.5.002 2.25 2.25 0 00-4.5-.002zm81.707 98.299c0 1.243 1.01 2.251 2.25 2.251s2.25-1.008 2.25-2.251c0-1.243-1.01-2.251-2.25-2.251s-2.25 1.008-2.25 2.251zm-81.707 0a2.25 2.25 0 104.5.002 2.25 2.25 0 00-4.5-.002zm161.917 0a2.244 2.244 0 104.49 0 2.246 2.246 0 10-4.49 0z\" cliprule=\"evenodd\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><div class=\"bstn-blocks-container__wrapper bstn-blocks-container__wrapper--readable-width bstn-blocks-container__wrapper--negative-container\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-bstn-blocks-heading bstn-blocks-heading bstn-blocks-heading--h2 has-text-align-left bstn-blocks-heading--divider\"><h2 class=\"bstn-blocks-heading__heading-element\">Learn SQL Today<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-bstn-paragraph-documentation-body\">Get hands-on experience writing code with interactive tutorials in our free online learning platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-kg-list-checklist-alternate\"><li>Free and fun<\/li><li>Designed for beginners<\/li><li>No downloads or setup required<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-bstn-button-primary\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link\" href=\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/learn\/sql\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get Started<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video autoplay loop muted src=\"https:\/\/d3ghupt9z9s6o0.cloudfront.net\/app\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13110644\/SQL-promo-clip.mp4\" playsinline><\/video><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SQL stands for Structured Query Language, and is a language specifically for interacting with databases and returning data from databases. It can be helpful to think of each of the letters as in the breakdown below, to remember what SQL is, how it is used, and differs from other languages: Structured: as the language is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":130267,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-130273","codex-reference","type-codex-reference","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/wp\/api\/wp\/v2\/codex-reference\/130273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/wp\/api\/wp\/v2\/codex-reference"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/wp\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/codex-reference"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/wp\/api\/wp\/v2\/codex-reference\/130273\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":131298,"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/wp\/api\/wp\/v2\/codex-reference\/130273\/revisions\/131298"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/wp\/api\/wp\/v2\/codex-reference\/130267"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/wp\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/wp\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/wp\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}