SQL & Database Wrap Up - July 2019

Hi! I'm Helen, one of your friendly mods looking after the #sql and #database tags.

At the end of each month, I'll be showcasing some of the great posts, projects and insights from the data community.

First up, Lorraine taught us about Database Normalisation. Database Normalisation is one of the first concepts to get your head around when designing a database or understanding how tables fit together. It's a great read for beginners or those needing a refresher.

Database Normalization Explained

Lorraine Jul 1 6 min read

#programming #database #tutorial #beginners

Next, Alex put these concepts into action by showing us how to build a database, with all the rules around data integrity, for recipes in a cookbook. It's an art, a science and even better with pizza.

Designing a Relational Database for a Cookbook

Alex McKean Jul 2 5 min read

#tutorial #beginners #webdev #database

Michael wrote about how easy it is to spin up an instance of SQL Server in a container and destroy it when youre done. Why would you ever manually install the SQL engine on your development machine when it's this easy with a container?

Using SQL Server in Docker containers for basic tasks

Michael Jolley Jul 3 4 min read

#docker #sql #productivity

Akash then showed us how to improve query performance on SQL Server using up to three columns in indexes, and utilising INCLUDE to add even more without taking up extra space.

Sql Server Multi Column Index Improvements

Akash Kava Jul 12 2 min read

#sql #sqlserver #showdev #discuss

Sticking with SQL Server, this post shows how Window Functions can be used to create a running total, or rank alongside each row. A powerful and useful tool for your SQL toolkit.

SQL 301: Why You Need SQL Window Functions (part 1)

Helen Anderson Jul 15 4 min read

#sql #data #database #beginners

Ronsoak then took us on a journey through all the lessons learned while building a VS Code Extension for AWS Redshift. The finished product is available on Github if you'd like to check it out, but the journey is just as good and it's a great read.

I built my own VS Code Syntax Highlighter from scratch and here's what I learned.

ronsoak Jul 16 4 min read

#data #sql #vscode

Robert then taught us about SQL Joins and when to use INNER, LEFT and FULL joins to get the right answers. These are handy to know even if you have tools to do it for you.

SQL joins recall - a little bit too late

rbglod Jul 23 3 min read

#job #interview #ruby #sql

If you've ever wondered why you need a VIEW or a FUNCTION in your Postgres database then Enrique has a post to answer all your questions.

Database Views vs Table Functions

Enrique Zamudio Jul 22 5 min read

#database #postgres #metaprogramming

Our last post of the month is from Ian who has started a Series on Apache Cassandra. The first post in the Series covers how to take, and restore a snapshot. I'm looking forward to reading more in the Series.

All About Apache Cassandra: Snapshots

Ian Spence Jul 27 5 min read

#cassandra #database #nosql #devops

That wraps up the review for this month. If you'd like to see more check out the #sql and #database tags or follow The Database Dev on Twitter.