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#5 in SQLUdemySqlPaid courseBeginner level

Introduction to Databases and SQL Querying (Udemy.com)

A step by step introduction to the concept of Databases and Introduction to SQL Querying.

4.5
53,655 reviews

Created by: Rakesh Gopalakrishnan

Last updated January 2018

Our take

Based on the ratings of 53,655 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in January 2018. No course pays to be reviewed.

A free, two-hour primer that walks a total beginner from installing a database on Windows to writing joins and aggregate queries. Rakesh Gopalakrishnan recorded 11 lectures across five short sections, about 137 minutes in all. It's the quick, free option next to the full SQL bootcamps we list, and with roughly 625,000 students it has clearly filled a gap for people who want to know what a table, a query, and a join are before an analyst interview. The syllabus stops at dates, string functions, and aggregation. Nothing on subqueries, indexes, or database design.

Reviewers, and there are about 54,000 of them, mostly say the same thing: the explanations are clear and the step-by-step pace suits someone who has never opened a database. Several call it exactly right for beginners and say the instructor explains concepts well without assuming anything. The complaints are consistent too. There are no exercises, quizzes, or downloadable reference sheets, so students who want to practice have to make up their own problems. One reviewer wanted a consolidated list of the functions covered. Lower ratings point at the age of the material, the missing certificate, and the fact that it doesn't cover MySQL or subqueries.

The big caveat is the date. The last update was January 2018, one three-star reviewer calls the explanation an old version, and the recordings are Windows only. Mac and Linux users need a Windows VM, per the requirements. The 4.5 rating holds up because nobody expects more than an afternoon's orientation from a free course, and that is what it delivers. Treat it as the first thing to watch before paying for one of the longer bootcamps, not as a replacement for them.

Best forAbsolute beginners who want a free afternoon's orientation to tables, queries, and joins before committing to a long SQL bootcamp.
Skip it ifYou need practice exercises, a certificate, MySQL specifically, or anything past basic joins and aggregation.

Pros

  • Free, and finishes in about 137 minutes across 11 lectures, so it fits in one sitting.
  • Reviewers say the explanations are clear and assume nothing, even for people who have never seen SQL.
  • Covers the practical basics analysts get asked about: joins, dates, string functions, and aggregation.
  • Starts from installation, so a Windows user can follow along without any prior setup.

Cons

  • No exercises, quizzes, or reference sheet, so practice is entirely up to the student.
  • Last updated January 2018, and the recordings are Windows only; Mac and Linux users need a VM.
  • No certificate, and it skips subqueries and MySQL, which the lower-star reviews flag.
Course is a good introduction, the instructor does a good job on explaining the concepts well enough so that a person that does not know anything about SQL like me can understand.
Kevin Choi, a student

Genuinely for people with zero database or programming experience; anyone already past SELECT and JOIN will find nothing new.

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What you will learn

  • Query a database, Create Tables and Databases and be proficient with basic SQL querying

Course content

5 sections · 11 lectures · 2.3 hours of video

  1. 1Introduction and Setup 1 free preview2 lectures · 22 min
  2. 2Introduction to Querying2 lectures · 17 min
  3. 3Deep Dive into Querying2 lectures · 31 min
  4. 4SQL Joins2 lectures · 37 min
  5. 5Dates / Aggregation and String Functions3 lectures · 30 min

Who it is for

The instructor says it suits

  • This course is for beginners with absolutely no experience is database. The course will make you familiar with SQL Syntax and introduce you to the concept of databases. No Prior Programming experience is required. This course is probably not for you if you're looking to learn more advanced and complex queries

What you need before you start

  • There is absolutely no pre-requisites for the course. We will walk through very basic installation to setting up your environment to creating your first table and writing queries against it. All videos are recorded in Windows OS. You can however follow this course on MAC/Linux, if you have a Win VM setup

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Quality Score

No CourseDuck member has rated this course yet. Taken it? Give each part a thumbs up or down.

Content Quality
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Video Quality
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Qualified Instructor
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Course Pace
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Course Depth & Coverage
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Overall Score : 90 / 100

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Course Description

This is an introductory course on Databases and SQL Querying. There are no pre-requisities for this course. If you are looking to get acquainted with the concept of Databases and Queries for maybe your next interview as an analyst, this is the right course for you. All you need is a windows machine and we will walk through step by step, right from setting up your environment to creating your first table to writing your first query. This course is structured in a way that you can follow along with me. At the end of this course, you should be comfortable writing simple queries including queries related to Dates, String manipulation, Aggregation etc.

Beginner Beginner Level product length iconTime: 2.3h

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Instructor Details

Rakesh Gopalakrishnan

I am a coder, manager, educator and a gamer. I love data and analytics. In my day job, I work with database technologies including SQL , Big Data and Tableau. I am passionate about technologies and love coding and managing teams. In my spare time I like to teach Big Data analytics, Databases, Programming etc. I am currently working on certain machine learning and Data Science projects and love to explore more in the Statistics field.

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Reviews

4.5

53,655 ratings on Udemy

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By Muhammad Abdul Rehman on 8/11/2026

Excellent beginner-friendly course. Clear explanations and a great step-by-step approach to learning SQL and database fundamentals. Highly recommended!

By AMRITA MUNSHI on 6/8/2026

Till now it is very helpful. The trainer is has made it very easy, step by step approach. Just exactly how it should be for beginners.

By Kevin Choi on 5/26/2026

Course is a good introduction, the instructor does a good job on explaining the concepts well enough so that a person that does not know anything about SQL like me can understand.

By Elisheba Mitchell on 5/16/2026

This class is very useful in re enforcing data analytics. Instructor is very knowledgeable about the subject and his information was coming out quickly. Great tips Thank you

By Drishti Dhiman on 4/30/2026

I am a backend developer, but I still find that there are certain concepts I can only fully understand when they are explained in depth. I prefer learning from resources where topics are covered thoroughly rather than superficially. Most of the videos I watch provide deep explanations of concepts, especially those related to databases. I would like to express this clearly in a more formal and structured way so that I can use it when asking for or recommending high-quality educational video content.

By Leya Wood on 3/23/2026

CREATE TABLE MYREVIEW (STARS INT, REVIEW VARCHAR(100)) INSERT INTO MYREVIEW VALUES (5, GREAT COURSE EASY TO FOLLOW THANK YOU)

By John Kusasira on 3/9/2026

Yeah, I had a brief theoretical understanding of the join query, and now that I have seen how it is used in practice, it is a good course.

By Zukiswa Fipaza on 2/17/2026

I enjoyed the course, information is simplified and easy to understand. It would be nice to have an assessment after each session to test knowledge gained.

By Faraz Ahmad on 2/11/2026

This course exceeded my expectations with its clear and structured approach to SQL. The explanations were easy to follow, making complex database concepts simple to understand. I especially appreciated the step-by-step guidance provided throughout the lectures. It has been a highly valuable learning experience for me

By Pedro Correia on 1/26/2026

Good course all around, it provides a guide on installing , getting training material and on simple initial level querying syntax.

Showing all 10 reviews on CourseDuck

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Introduction to Databases and SQL Querying
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  • Video Duration: icon 2.3h
  • Price: Free 11.99 Track Price
  • Provider: icon Udemy
  • Updated: icon January 2018
  • Level: Beginner Beginner
  • Language: icon English
  • Certificate: icon No
  • Lectures:11 in 5 sections
  • Students:624,600
  • Subtitles:1 languages

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