How to transform questions into SQL queries?
When managing databases, it is essential to understand how to turn business questions into functional SQL queries. Even if you have all the information available, the key is to transform data into valuable information that leads to specific actions. This is how we will be able to reach more customers, increase followers or even increase revenue. Let's take it one step at a time, breaking down how a library manager might translate his or her questions into efficient SQL queries.
What nationalities of writers are there?
We start with a basic question: what nationalities of writers do we have? In SQL, we could simply start with:
SELECT nationality FROM authors;
This query fetches all the nationalities from the authors
table. However, it will present duplicates, which is not optimal if we are looking for diversity. This is where the DISTINCT
command comes in, which will take care of eliminating repetitions. The revised query would be:
SELECT DISTINCT nationality FROM authors;
This will return a single list of nationalities. Don't forget that a null
will always appear if there are unspecified nationalities. Use ORDER BY nationality
to sort the results alphabetically.
How many writers are there of each nationality?
When our focus shifts to quantity, the use of the COUNT
aggregation function becomes essential. The first attempt might look like this:
SELECT nationality, COUNT(author_id) FROM authors;
But, for COUNT
to work correctly in conjunction with SELECT
, it is necessary to group the results:
SELECT nationality, COUNT(author_id) AS count_authors FROM authors GROUP BY nationality;
It is also useful to sort in descending order to see which nationality has more writers:
ORDER BY count_authors DESC;
How to exclude specific data?
Sometimes, you will want to exclude data, such as specific nationalities. This can be accomplished by using the WHERE
and NOT IN
clauses:
WHERE nationality IS NOT NULL AND nationality NOT IN ('RUS', 'AUT')
This will exclude 'null' results and those related to Russia (RUS) and Austria (AUT). You can also include multiple countries by using commas between the NOT IN
clauses.
How to optimize queries?
For more efficient queries, organize the conditions from the broadest to the most specific. This way, the most general results will be discarded first, optimizing the process.
SQL is more than just code; it is a tool that, when well understood, can unleash the true potential of our database. Complex operations are accessible and everyday business questions can be translated into SQL queries effectively. Remember to practice these concepts to further master your SQL skills and always experiment with different functions to see their potential in a real-world context.
Want to see more contributions, questions and answers from the community?