Reading Time: 8 minutes When I was first learning about transactions in Microsoft SQL Server, there were a few simple rules I had to learn the hard way. I found myself in a great amount of confusion because I didn’t know these basic rules about transactions. If I can save you from making those Continue Reading
SQL Server Transactions: An Introduction for Beginners
Reading Time: 12 minutes If you plan on working with SQL Server for more than 5 minutes, you should expect to encounter something called a transaction very early in your career. Understanding SQL transactions is the first step in writing well-performing SQL solutions that are less likely to cause data corruption. Transactions are definitely Continue Reading
The ONE skill you should have if you want to be a Database Developer
Reading Time: 9 minutes If you want to get into the fields of database development, database administration or data science, there is one skill you should have that will give you an advantage and make it easier to learn the tools necessary to do your job. This is a skill most database professionals already Continue Reading
CAST and CONVERT: A How-To Guide
Reading Time: 9 minutes Two of the most common system functions you will see as a database developer are the CAST and CONVERT functions. These two functions perform in a similar way, with only slight differences between the two. The one you use will depend on your needs at the time. CAST and CONVERT Continue Reading
SQL Server CASE Statement: A How-To Guide
Reading Time: 8 minutes The CASE expression is a very handy tool you should know when querying data using T-SQL in a Microsoft SQL Server database. In this very brief tutorial, we’ll break down the CASE expression and show you exactly how to write it and how it can make your querying life easier. Continue Reading
SQL Server Cursors: A How-To Guide
Reading Time: 9 minutes You will likely find yourself needing to use the capabilities of a cursor to accomplish some task in Microsoft SQL Server at some point in your career as a database professional. Cursors are the tool we use when working with large amounts of data, where you need to basically iterate Continue Reading
SQL Server WHILE loop: A decision structure you should know
Reading Time: 7 minutes The WHILE loop is one of the most basic tools you should know when you are first starting out with Microsoft SQL Server. Sometimes when working with SQL Server, you need certain code to execute several times in a loop while some condition is true. As soon as that condition Continue Reading
SQL Server Wildcards: The 5 wildcards you need to know
Reading Time: 9 minutes You are the manager of a new up-and-coming hardware store in the city of Denver, Colorado. You are speaking with a new customer who says they own a woodworking business, and enjoy shopping at your store very much. They plan on being a regular customer, which you know will bring Continue Reading
The difference between COUNT(*) and COUNT(column): Answered!
Reading Time: 6 minutes When I was first starting out with SQL Server, I had a hard time understanding the difference between COUNT(*) and COUNT(column), and how they are used with the GROUP BY clause. Many times, the COUNT(*) function would return the same results as the COUNT(<column>) function, so I just told myself Continue Reading
SQL Server NULL: Are you making these 7 mistakes?
Reading Time: 11 minutes A proper understanding of NULL is absolutely essential for writing accurate queries that return accurate results. When you are first starting out with SQL Server, you might have these assumptions about NULL that are not quite right, or maybe flat out WRONG. If you misunderstand how SQL treats NULL, you Continue Reading