Product Description

You know the rudiments of the SQL query language, yet you feel you aren't taking full advantage of SQL's expressive power. You'd like to learn how to do more work with SQL inside the database before pushing data across the network to your applications. You'd like to take your SQL skills to the next level. Let's face it, SQL is a deceptively simple language to learn, and many database developers never go far beyond the simple statement: select from where. But, there is so much more you can do with the language. In the "SQL Cookbook", experienced SQL developer Anthony Molinaro shares his favorite SQL techniques and features. You'll learn about: Window functions, arguably the most significant enhancement to SQL in the past decade - if you're not using these, you're missing out; powerful, database-specific features, such as SQL Server's PIVOT and UNPIVOT operators, Oracle's MODEL clause, and PostgreSQL's very useful GENERATE_SERIES function; pivoting rows into columns, reverse-pivoting columns into rows, using pivoting to facilitate inter-row calculations, and double-pivoting a result set; bucketization, and why you should never use that term in Brooklyn; how to create histograms, summarize data into buckets, perform aggregations over a moving range of values, generate running-totals and subtotals, and other advanced, data warehousing techniques; and the technique of walking a string, which allows you to use SQL to parse through the characters, words, or delimited elements of a string. Written in O'Reilly's popular Problem/Solution/Discussion style, the "SQL Cookbook" is sure to please. Anthony's credo is: "When it comes down to it, we all go to work, we all have bills to pay, and we all want to go home at a reasonable time and enjoy what's still available of our days." "The SQL Cookbook" moves quickly from problem to solution, saving you time each step of the way.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #64392 in Books
• Published on: 2009-06-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 595 pages

From the Publisher
This convenient guide is for anyone who wants to take his or her SQL skills to the next level. Packed with over 200 recipes, the SQL Cookbook helps you conquer common data query and manipulation problems, including those related to window functions, data warehousing, and string manipulation. Features an easy-to-grasp problem-solution-discussion format.

About the Author
Anthony Molinaro is a SQL developer and database administrator with many years experience in helping developers improve their SQL queries. SQL is particular passion of Anthony's, and he's become known as the go-to guy among his clients when it comes to solving difficult SQL query problems. He's well-read, understands relational theory well, and has nine years of hands-on experience solving tough, SQL problems. Anthony is particularly well-acquainted with new and powerful SQL features such as the windowing function syntax that was added to the most recent SQL standard.

Customer Reviews

The best sql book I've seen.
The book claims its audience ranges from novices to sql experts (who need to use a different sql platform), and I have to agree. Since it explains a lot about set theory, and how sql works, I doubt it will be out-of-date any time soon. The author describes it as a collection of common SQL problems and their solutions, which is true. What really makes this book special is that I find myself working through examples on my home database for fun. I've used SQL since the early 90s (on Oracle) and have not come across such a useful yet enjoyable book before. The only small errata I found was on page 336 (where the mysql subquery needed an alias), so I suspect there may be a few others - there are examples given for the main platforms - Postgre, Oracle, DB2, Sql Server etc.