Synopses & Reviews
The Classic SQL Tutorial: Fully Updated for Today’s Standards and Today’s Top Databases
For twenty years, van der Lans’ Introduction to SQL has been the definitive SQL tutorial for database professionals everywhere, regardless of experience or platform. Now van der Lans has systematically updated this classic guide to reflect the latest SQL standards and the newest versions of today’s leading RDBMSs: Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, DB2, and MySQL.
Using case study examples and hands-on exercises, van der Lans illuminates every key SQL concept, technique, and statement. Drawing on decades of experience as an SQL standards team member and enterprise consultant, he reveals exactly why SQL works as it does–and how to get the most out of it. You’ll gain powerful insight into everything from basic queries to stored procedures, transactions to data security. Whether you’re a programmer or DBA, a student or veteran, this book will take you from “apprentice” to true SQL master.
- Writing queries and updating data: all you need to know about SELECT
- Working with joins, functions, and subqueries
- Creating database objects: tables, indexes, views, and more
- Specifying keys and other integrity constraints
- Using indexes to improve efficiency
- Enforcing security via passwords and privileges
- Building stored procedures and triggers
- Developing with embedded SQL and ODBC
- Working with transactions, including rollbacks, savepoints, isolation levels, and more
- Optimizing performance by reformulating SQL statements
- Using object-relational features: subtables, references, sets, and user-defined data types
- Reference section: SQL statement definitions and SQL function lists
Synopsis
SQL was, is and always will be the database language for relational database systems such as Oracle, DB2, Sybase, Informix and Microsoft SQL Server. Introduction to SQL describes in depth the full capacity of SQL as it is implemented by the commercial databases, without neglecting the most recent changes to the standard, bringing the book up to date and fully compliant with SQL3. Unique in the extent of its coverage, this book takes you from the beginning to the end of SQL, the concepts to the practice, the apprentice to the master. Learn how to:
* Query data
* Update data
* Create tables and views
* Specify primary and foreign keys
* Use indexes
* Secure your data
* Develop stored procedures and triggers
* Develop applications with embedded SQL and ODBC
* Carry out transactions
* Optimize statements
* Deal with object-relational concepts such as subtables, references, sets and user-defined data types. NEW
section devoted to stored procedures and triggers
NEW
coverage of object-oriented concepts
NEW
information on application development with pre-programmed SQL
NEW
chapter on using SQL in combination with ODBC The best way to learn a language is to work with it and the accompanying CD-ROM contains an SQL product called SOLID, chosen because it employs every aspect of SQL covered in the text. Experiment using the exercises in the book.
About the Author
Rick F. van der Lans is an independent consultant, author, and lecturer specializing in database technology, SQL, and data warehousing. He is managing director of R20/Consultancy. He has been a member of the Dutch ISO committee responsible for developing the SQL standard. For the past 20 years, he has taught SQL classes to thousands of attendees. His popular books, including Introduction to SQL and The SQL Guide to Oracle, have been translated into various languages and have sold more than 100,000 copies.
Rick is an internationally acclaimed lecturer. Throughout has career, he has lectured in many European countries, South America, USA, and Australia. You can contact Rick via email at [email protected].
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to SQL1
2. The Tennis Club Sample Database
3. Working with SOLID
4. SQL in a Nutshell
5. SELECT Statement: Common Elements
6. Clauses of the SELECT Statement
7. The SELECT Statement: the FROM Clause
8. SELECT Statement: the WHERE Clause
9. SELECT Statement: the SELECT Clause and Functions
10. SELECT Statement: GROUP BY and HAVING
11. SELECT Statement: the ORDER BY Clause
12. Combining SELECT Statements
13. The Subquery
14. The FROM Clause Extended
15. Updating Tables
16. Creating Tables
17. Specifying Constraints
18. Designing Tables
19. Using Indexes
20. Views
21. Users and Data Security
22. Catalog Tables
23. Introduction to Embedded SQL
24. Transactions and Multi-User Usage
25. Introduction to ODBC
26. Optimization of Statements
27. Stored Procedures
28. Triggers
29. User-defined Data Types, Functions and Operators
30. Inheritance, References and Collections
31. The Future of SQL