Learning journey
A clearer learning flow.
The progression begins with SQL Server installation, SSMS orientation, and enterprise database design, moves through T-SQL core querying and multi-table operations, advances into stored procedures, functions, triggers, and views with Query Store performance analysis, then transactions, security, and backup, and finishes with SSRS reporting, high availability concepts, and a full enterprise capstone database project. [web:504]
Step 01
SQL Server Setup & Database Design
Install SQL Server and SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS); SQL Server editions — Developer, Express, Standard, Enterprise; RDBMS concepts; ER diagrams; normalisation (1NF–3NF); CREATE DATABASE, CREATE TABLE with SQL Server data types; primary keys, foreign keys, constraints, and schemas. [web:498]
Step 02
T-SQL Core — DDL, DML & Advanced Querying
T-SQL syntax and conventions; DDL — ALTER, DROP, TRUNCATE; DML — INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, MERGE; SELECT with WHERE, TOP, DISTINCT, ORDER BY; aggregate functions and GROUP BY/HAVING; INNER, LEFT, RIGHT, FULL OUTER JOINs; subqueries; CTEs; APPLY operator; and window functions — ROW_NUMBER, RANK, DENSE_RANK, PARTITION BY. [web:501]
Step 03
T-SQL Programmability — Procedures, Functions & Triggers
T-SQL variables, IF-ELSE, WHILE loops, TRY-CATCH error handling; stored procedures with input/output parameters; scalar and table-valued functions; AFTER and INSTEAD OF triggers; views and indexed views; dynamic SQL with sp_executesql; and temporary tables vs table variables. [web:501]
Step 04
Indexes, Query Store & Performance Tuning
Clustered and non-clustered indexes; columnstore indexes for analytics; execution plan analysis with SET STATISTICS IO/TIME; Query Store — tracking and forcing query plans; intelligent query processing; database maintenance — UPDATE STATISTICS, REBUILD/REORGANISE indexes; and In-Memory OLTP concepts. [web:500]
Step 05
Security, Backup, SSRS & Enterprise Capstone
SQL Server authentication — Windows vs mixed mode; logins, users, roles, schemas, and GRANT/REVOKE/DENY; transparent data encryption (TDE); database backup — full, differential, and transaction log; restore and recovery models; introduction to SSRS reports; high availability concepts; and a full enterprise capstone database project. [web:501]