MySQL Databases and the SQL Language

Welcome to my set of tutorials on MySQL. While there are loads of tutorials on MySQL (usually in combination with a scripting language) on the Net aimed at building applications etc, there are very few that want to use MySQL to teach the SQL syntax and with it a bit about databases for the novice. Thus these workshops are simply about that… seeing how a simple database can be created and manipulated by typing SQL statements. Knowledge of what is going on ‘underneath’ user friendly interfaces is pretty good to know in my opinion.

The workshops themselves are in themed parts, but it is intended that the reader work their way through each, building up SQL knowledge and understanding along the way. They are also meant to be a simple, if fairly comprehensive, introduction to MySQL and to SQL in general however the MySQL Documentation Site is still the best place to go for uptodate information and advanced features and techniques.

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Part 1 – Introducing SQL

This Workshop introduces MySQL, explains a little bit about conventions and starts constructing simple SELECT SQL statements. Read On>>

Part 2 – Structures and Data

CREATE-ing tables and INSERTing data. Read On>>

Part 3 – Manipulating Data

UPDATEs, DELETEs and Advanced SELECTs. Read On>>

Part 4 – Manipulating Structures

ADDing, ALTERing and DELETE-ing Columns and Tables. Read On>>

Part 5 – Joins

Using SQL Statements to retrieve data from multiple tables. Read On>>

Part 6 – Adminstration

CREATE-ing databases, creating users, managing permissions and backing up data. Read On>>

Part 7 – Normalisation

A look at database theory that aims to be accessible for the novice developer. Read On>>

Part 8 – Advanced Queries

Aliasing and referencing, Self-Joins, Temporary Tables, Full Text Searches. Read On>>

Part 9 – Built-in Functions

Date Functions, Mathmatics Functions, String Functions. Read On>>

Part A – Quick Answers

Securing MySQL and using MySQL with MS Access. Read On>>