5 SQL Books That Will Make You A Pro
These 5 books will take your SQL skills to new levels (with practice and study). Level up!
SQL was the first programming language I began learning and is my favorite to this day.
I attribute a lot of my success with SQL to study, dedication, and determination.
However, as a self-taught developer, I didn’t just wake up knowing SQL. My main source of learning and study is from books and other written content.
Here are 5 SQL books that really elevated my SQL skills. I hope you get 1 or 2 of them yourself and that they - along with dedicated study and practice - help you grow your SQL skills too.
Disclosure: Many links in this article are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, should you make a purchase by clicking through one of them, I will receive a commission.
SQL Queries For Mere Mortals: A Hands-On Guide to Data Manipulation in SQL
Author: John Viescas
If you are on or have finished your first SQL book (I highly recommend Learning SQL as a 1st book), you should add this book for supplemental practice.
Or make this book your main focus.
SQL Queries For Mere Mortals will improve your SQL query skills beyond your imagination. Profoundly.
I'm grateful I spent so much time working through the practice exercises in this book.
I thought I knew SQL but soon realized I didn't. Not until I was neck-deep in SQL Queries For Mere Mortals.
I'll be the first to admit, that this book really challenged me and at times I wanted to give it up. I'm sure glad I didn't.😊
You will see - and learn - that there is often more than 1 way to retrieve query results and that in and of itself exercises your SQL muscles.
For the love of all things sacred, please get this book.
Get your query fundamentals from a great teacher here. Your future SQL self will thank you later.
Grab SQL Queries For Mere Mortals on Amazon today! (Kindle edition)
SQL Performance Explained Everything Developers Need to Know about SQL Performance
Author: Markus Winand
When the masters speak, we should listen.
There isn't any doubt, in my mind at least, that Markus Winand isn't a master.
Visit his website modernsql.com and know for yourself.
I don't know of any other SQL expert who writes and explains database concepts and fundamentals quite like this author does.
In SQL Performance Explained, the mystery and confusion surrounding Indexing in SQL are dispelled.
Want to learn the magic, art, and craft of performant SQL?
Look no further.
Grab SQL Performance Explained on Amazon today!
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SQL Antipatterns: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Database Programming
Author: Bill Karwin
There are different kinds of SQL professionals typing different SQL queries based on their particular needs and requirements. Business Analysts and Data Engineers are typically using SQL in a different manner than say, Web Developers.
In my opinion, SQL Antipatterns bridges this gap. Not in the specific SQL features or methods one SQL professional or another may use, but by ‘Thinking in SQL’.
Related: I wrote a high-level overview of SQL Antipatterns in the OpenLampTech publication that you should read for a better sense of the material found in this phenomenal book.
Web developers (myself absolutely included) are so quick to lean on and put everything into their chosen ORM.
But SQL is powerful and can do a lot for you!
SQL Antipatterns exposes this and shows you what you are 'leaving on the table’ by not using SQL to its fullest potential.
You could possibly change the application code and language multiple times in an application's lifespan. But mostly, you stick with your database. Database migration is costly in time, money, and resources.
SQL Antipatterns shows you how to best leverage the power of SQL by pointing out the pitfalls of not leveraging SQL.
Every chapter is a new learning experience.
Don't miss out on this book. It should be on your desk.
Grab SQL Antipatterns on Amazon today! (Kindle edition)
SQL Cookbook: Query Solutions and Techniques for All SQL Users
Authors: Anthony Molinaro and Robert de Graaf
Along with a couple of the other books on this list, I have a physical print copy of SQL Cookbook, in addition to a Kindle edition of the same.
The difference between SQL Cookbook and the others; SQL Cookbook is on my desk.
SQL Cookbook is always within reach. Period.
This is a massive book and full of so many examples that you can find a quick fix or understanding to just about anything that is nagging you with SQL queries.
Extra: My favorite chapter is the one on Reporting and Reshaping. 👍👋
I do spend a lot of time thumbing through this book, looking for examples of queries I need to solve and nail down.
But make no mistake, I read and study a great portion of SQL Cookbook in a focused manner as well.
Trust me, you are going to learn a lot from this book.
One of the best things about it, there are examples of specific problems with solutions shown in multiple SQL dialects.
Grab SQL Cookbook on Amazon today! (Kindle edition)
OCA Oracle Database SQL Exam Guide (Exam 1Z0-071)
Author: Steve O'Hearn
When Oracle introduced the always-free autonomous Database, I jumped right in head first.
I mean, why not?!? A free Oracle database!
Duh. Who wouldn’t?
Being a self-taught developer, I have this sort of ‘internal requirement’ that I should become certified in something to prove the validation to myself.
I don’t necessarily think you need any certification. However, I began to study in earnest for an Oracle certification to fill in gaps in my SQL knowledge and chose this exam guide as a base.
As of the time of this writing, I have not achieved any Oracle (or other) certification yet and admittedly, have fallen off of the study wagon for some time now.
All that said, this is the book I use most when studying SQL fundamentals.
No, I am not saying that Oracle’s implementation is the foundational or fundamental flavor of SQL.
But, they do have one heck of a learning library of material and I consider this book a solid source on all the sharp corners and edges of SQL.
There are nuggets of wisdom galore in this exam guide.
I dare you to get it and build up your SQL foundation.
Grab OCA Oracle Database SQL Exam Guide on Amazon today! (Kindle edition)
I hope you enjoyed reading this OpenLampTech publication piece and can add one (or more) of these books to your library and build even more on your SQL skills.
Thank you for reading. I hope you have a great rest of your week.
Take care.
Joshua Otwell
Visit my developer blog, Digital Owl’s Prose, where I write regularly on CodeIgniter, PHP, WordPress, and SQL.
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