This section serves as both an introduction and foundation for the advanced SQL concepts you will encounter later in the course. It kicks off with a practical guide on setting up your SQL environment, providing you with step-by-step installation instructions to ensure you are well-prepared to start your SQL journey. The following lesson takes a step back to understand the fundamental framework of data storage and management: Relational Databases. We'll delve into how data is structured, related, and accessed within these systems, providing you with the context needed to understand more advanced topics. Next, we dive into the various subsets of SQL - Data Definition Language (DDL), Data Manipulation Language (DML), Data Query Language (DQL), and Data Control Language (DCL). Each of these categories plays a different but vital role in the management and manipulation of data, and understanding their roles and usage will be critical for your progression. Lastly, the section concludes with an in-depth look at SQL syntax. Good command of SQL syntax is crucial to write efficient and error-free SQL queries. This lesson will ensure you're well-versed in the language of SQL, providing a solid foundation upon which to build as the course progresses.

This part of the course equips you with the tools to manipulate databases using key SQL statements. Beginning with the creation of databases, we explore how to modify, add to, update, and delete data using various SQL commands. You'll learn how to combine operations using the MERGE statement and wrap up the section by learning how to safely remove data and tables with the DROP statement. This section will empower you to control your databases effectively.

It is time to delve into the world of DateTime in SQL. You'll understand the importance and varied types of DateTime data in SQL, how timezones affect data, and the use of intervals for calculations. By the end of this section, you'll be proficient in handling date and time-based data, a crucial aspect of any database management system.

We venture into the realm of complex data types in SQL. We'll start by learning about ENUMs and ARRAYs, and then move on to Ranges and Nested Data. This section will give you the knowledge and skills needed to handle a variety of data types, enhancing your database design and management capabilities.

Expand your querying capabilities by introducing advanced SQL techniques. You will explore the power of the OVER clause, dive deep into different types of JOINS, and learn to use CASE for conditional logic. With additional lessons on functions like COALESCE, CONCAT, and Recursive CTE, this section will elevate your SQL skills to a new level.

Focus on optimizing data structures through Data Normalization. You'll learn about the principles of data normalization and their importance in creating efficient, reliable databases. This section will equip you with the knowledge to design and implement database schemas effectively.

Introduction to performance and control features in SQL. We'll learn about stored procedures and user-defined functions, temporary tables, and materialized views. Plus, we'll discuss SQL transactions and control structures. By the end of this section, you'll have a deeper understanding of database performance and control mechanisms in SQL.

A series of practical tasks that will help you reinforce what you have learned in the Advanced SQL for Data Engineers course