Top 10 SQL Books to Learn SQL Programming

SQL is a query language and is used at the backend to get the required data. We have many resources available to learn SQL, and using a book is the most traditional and efficient way of doing this.

In this article, we will discuss some must-read books which one can follow to understand and use SQL on their own.

1. Head First SQL

This helps in remembering the concepts well, but you will need to dedicate time to learn each approach. It is as if we are exploring various parts of SQL.

The book is fast-paced, so sometimes you might think you have got the concept, but it may not be so. Take time to absorb each concept and practice more before you move on to the next chapters.

2. Learning SQL

Alan Beaulieu’s “Learning SQL” is one of the top SQL books for beginners. The use of the real-world style of writing makes it easy to comprehend and relate to the industrial standards of getting the work done. With this, you can start from zero and reach the advanced applications of SQL quickly.

The book follows an approach of taking the reader from the bare minimum to all the required knowledge in the whole journey. The book deals with theoretical concepts in the most comprehensible method, making it easy to be understood by even a beginner.

3. Sams teach yourself SQL in 10 minutes

Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes – is a must-read book for beginners. Ben Forta is very popular and his book is the simplest to understand the concepts of SQL.

While writing this book, the author checked out the prevailing SQL literature and observed a deficiency of books that were not leading to the path of becoming a DBA’s.

The emphasis is on getting the work done quickly, helping you to be productive in whatever tool or environment you are deploying the learnings from the text.

Thus, this book proves to be a boon for the students who are looking to learn the basics of SQL and afterward starting a professional journey in the same.

4. SQL: The Ultimate Beginners Guide

This book is a great guide while learning SQL. The language is straightforward and is a beginner-friendly edition and is meaningful even to a novice. It deals with various real-world examples that help beginners to start from the basics and understand the topic in depth.

As the name suggests, The Ultimate beginner’s guide is a book of utmost importance to those who want a guide to follow along while they dive deep into the ocean of SQL. With the organized and sorted content, one can easily follow along and become a master of SQL.

5. SQL: QuickStart Guide

SQL QuickStart Guide by ClydeBank Technologies is all that you need to take your journey from the start to the end. This book contains step-by-step examples in an orderly fashion, making it a must-have for all the beginners of SQL.

When you look at the available literature of SQL, you would not easily find books with adequate theory and examples; this gap is tucked by the QuickStart Guide. The writer aims to take the learner from the very start to the deepest ends of SQL, using the exemplar methodology used in the book.

6. The Art of SQL

This book, The Art of SQL, written by Stéphane Faroult and Peter Robson, is one of the bestsellers and contains the concepts in the most effective methodology. The book is a perfect fit for people having some or no experience in SQL.

The authors aim to combine all the important topics of SQL and merge them down in the most exemplary method. The book deals with basic to complex concepts making it fit for users of all walks. This book is a great first for both beginners and experienced professionals to brush up the concepts.

7. SQL Practice Problems: 57 beginning, intermediate, and advanced challenges

SQL Practice problems is an iconic book in itself. The main aim of the book is to provide practice to the learner, right from the very basics to the advanced concepts.

The book is very well designed by Sylvia Moestl Vasilik, making it the most demanded book among SQL professionals and practitioners. The book comes with 57 challenges that take the user on a journey to enhance the SQL skills as they progress.

8. SQL Database Programming

SQL Database Programming authored by Chris Fehily is ideal for advanced learners who are familiar with the basics of SQL. Database programming is the next step to learning SQL and helps the user to dive into the advanced topics.

The book aims to take the learner from the SQL basics to the DBA level knowledge of how to design a database. This book proves to be a great guide for individuals aiming to be DBA professionals.

9. Effective SQL

61 Specific Ways to Write Better SQL: Effective SQL authored by John L. Viescas, Douglas J. Steele, and Ben J. Clothier. This book deals with the nitty-gritty details of SQL with all types of code and query examples.

This book is perfect for learners and professionals who are looking for enhancing the SQL skills. There are many versions included in the book namely Oracle, IBM DB2, Microsoft Server etc.

10. SQL Cookbook

This book may be a great reference if you only started working with SQL and have a basic understanding of selecting, updating and inserting queries – but do not have the time to travel deeply through all the concepts.

The book covers basic select, update and insert queries but sort of a crash program. The author assumes you already have some background of SQL (that’s the aim of the cookbook).

This book is excellent for both beginners and intermediate learners. The author presents many queries as samples of what you’d face during a real-life situation. Use it as a fast regard to finding a question that’s almost like the matter you’re facing in your project.

Start by reading the preface, and if you want to urge into basics, undergo the appendix before you begin exploring the book.

Summary

The above-mentioned are some of the very famous and must-read books while you learn SQL. You can follow one of these or a combination depending on your needs.

The authors of these books are experts and all the books are beginner-friendly with simple English, thus are ideal for anyone, irrespective of the experience with SQL.

For beginners, these are complete guides, and for professionals or experienced users, they help to build the basics. We all hear that the charm of books is different and the same is the case here.

Although we are able to find all the resources on the internet, we still prefer a book to get all the details at the same place and all at once.