What do you need to know about relational databases and SQL as a software developer? In this article, we’ll explain the topics you need to know and how you can acquire this knowledge.

If you are a software developer, you may have noticed that SQL skills are often required in some development roles. Although you are not a database manager or a data scientist, you will need solid SQL foundations to continue your developer journey.

Online courses are an obvious choice for learning SQL. I sincerely recommend our SQL Basics course for beginners or our SQL from A to Z track for people who want to learn everything SQL has to offer. Our courses combine knowledge with hands-on practice; you can write SQL queries in the interactive console and get instant feedback. All you need is the Internet and your favorite browser.

Why Is SQL Necessary for Software Developers?

SQL is a programming language used to communicate with relational databases and other data technologies. Even if you don’t use relational databases, your data technology of choice likely understands SQL as a query language. Moreover, relational databases are a very mature and stable technology and are used in many software projects. Your main technology may be different, but there is probably a relational database somewhere in your project; it’s good to know the basics of how to work with them. Let’s see some practical cases where you will have to know SQL.