Stage 1 · Lesson 8 of 8
Your first tables by hand
Before relying on sample data, create two related tables yourself with CREATE TABLE, for example authors and books. Give each one a , and give books a that points at authors. Add a few rows with and read them back with SELECT.
Then try to add a book for an author who does not exist, and read the error. Next, drop the tables and recreate them from a saved .sql file. This gets you used to keeping your work as scripts, not as clicks.
Write a script, run it, check the result, repeat: this small loop is how you will work for the rest of the roadmap. CREATE TABLE belongs to , and INSERT and SELECT to data manipulation language, the families from earlier.
Common trapbuilding tables through graphical dialogs and having no script to recreate them.
A question to check yourself, an AI practice session and 2 cheat sheet entries come with the full roadmap. Unlock
Resources for this stage
Start with· follow one of these
- CourseFreeCS50's Introduction to Databases with SQL
Harvard University · Beginner
Watch Lecture 0 (Querying) for the relational model; it uses SQLite, and the ideas carry straight across
- CourseFreeQuery and modify data with Transact-SQL
Microsoft · Beginner
Start with the Introduction to Transact-SQL module; it sets up a sample database in the browser or locally