CODING 101: SQL Basics Data Retrieval

To start off you may be asking what is SQL? SQL stands for structured query language. Now you may be asking how is it useful? SQL is used to access and modify information from a database. It is essential that you understand the fundamental SQL statements before moving on to the advanced actions. We will break down the different parts of the data retrieval process and then conclude with an example.

This article will cover:

• Select command
• From keyword
• Where clause
• Writing your first query

SQL Select Statement

One of the purposes of using SQL is to query or retrieve data from the database. This is done using the Select statement. This will then be followed by the columns you want to be returned. If you want all of the columns returned you can simply put “Select *”

Examples

• Select {column name}-Selects 1 column
• Select{column name 1}, {column name 2}, {column name 3}-Selects 3 columns
• Select *-Selects all of the columns in the database

From Clause

Next, we will use the From clause. This will let us dictate what table we are retrieving the information from…