January 2, 2023
Why do you’ll want to study SQL?
SQL is used in all places
SQL is in excessive demand as a result of so many firms use it
SQL continues to be the preferred language for knowledge work in 2023
SQL is absolutely outdated. There, I stated it.
SQL dates again 50 years when Edgar Codd (an IBM laptop scientist) steered a brand new system for organizing knowledge in databases. Shortly thereafter, SQL was born.
Since then, it’s seen world-wide adoption.
However why would somebody who needs to turn out to be an information skilled study this “historic” programming language in 2023? Why not spend your time mastering Python or R, or specializing in “sexier” knowledge abilities, like deep studying, Scala, or Spark?
Sure, understanding the basics of extra common languages like Python or R is crucial. Nevertheless, ignoring SQL will make it a lot more durable to get a job in knowledge.
Listed below are three key the explanation why you completely have to study SQL in 2023.
1. SQL Is All over the place
Nearly all large tech firms use SQL. Uber, Netflix, Airbnb — the checklist goes on. Even Fortune 500 firms which have constructed their very own high-performance database techniques (Fb, Google, Amazon) nonetheless ceaselessly use SQL to question knowledge and carry out analyses.
And it’s not simply tech firms, both. Nearly any firm that depends on giant quantities of knowledge makes use of SQL. A fast job search on LinkedIn will present you that extra firms are in search of SQL abilities than are in search of Python or R abilities.
SQL could also be outdated, but it surely’s in all places.
Right here’s a real-life instance of the significance of SQL from one in every of our former college students . . .
Vicknesh acquired his first job as an information analyst and rapidly discovered himself utilizing SQL every day: “SQL is so pervasive; it permeates the whole lot right here. It’s just like the SQL syntax persists via time and house. All the things makes use of SQL or a spinoff of SQL.”
Vicknesh accomplished Dataquest’s interactive programs, which took him from chemistry instructor to a knowledge analyst.
2. SQL Is in Demand
If you wish to get a job in knowledge, you must give attention to the talents employers truly need. To determine this out, we did some digging.
All Knowledge Roles
To exhibit the significance of SQL for data-related jobs, I analyzed greater than 72,000 job listings on Certainly, taking a look at key abilities talked about in job posts with “knowledge” within the title.
As we will see, SQL is essentially the most in-demand talent amongst all jobs in knowledge, showing in 45.4% of job postings.
Curiously, the proportion of knowledge jobs itemizing SQL has been growing! I carried out this identical evaluation a number of occasions through the years, and right here’s what I discovered:
2017: 35.7% (SQL #1)
2021: 42.7% (SQL #1)
2022: 45.4% (SQL #1)
Knowledge Analyst Jobs
In the event you’re in search of your first job in knowledge, it seems understanding SQL is much more crucial.
Most entry-level jobs in knowledge are knowledge analyst roles, so I analyzed all these on Certainly as nicely:
For knowledge analyst roles, SQL is once more essentially the most in-demand talent, listed in a whopping 61% of job posts.
For knowledge analyst roles on Certainly, SQL seems as follows:
1.7 occasions greater than Python
2.5 occasions greater than R
5.8 occasions greater than machine studying
22.5 occasions greater than Spark
If you wish to turn out to be an information analyst, studying SQL needs to be on the prime of your to-do checklist.
Different Superior Knowledge Jobs
In actual fact, even in case you’re fascinated about extra superior roles, SQL abilities are nonetheless very important.
I carried out the identical evaluation on “Knowledge Scientist” and “Knowledge Engineer” job postings.
Knowledge Engineer
Even for knowledge engineering, SQL is the highest talent, listed in 73.4% of job postings.
For knowledge engineer roles on Certainly, SQL seems as follows:
Barely greater than Python
1.6 occasions greater than Spark
3 occasions greater than machine studying
Knowledge Scientist
SQL isn’t the most-listed talent for an information scientist, but it surely nonetheless occupies 64.7% of job listings.
That implies that even in case you’ve already mastered Python, you’re going to overlook out on 3 out of 5 knowledge scientist job alternatives except you’ve acquired SQL abilities in your resume, too.
Lengthy story brief: sure, you’ll want to study SQL for any position within the knowledge science trade.
It won’t solely make you extra certified for these jobs, it is going to additionally set you aside from different candidates who’ve solely centered on the “horny” stuff, like machine studying in Python.
In the event you’re fascinated about changing into an information analyst, knowledge engineer, or knowledge scientist, Dataquest gives all-in-one course paths designed to take you from newbie to job-ready in lower than a 12 months.
3. SQL Is Nonetheless the Prime Language for Knowledge Work
SQL is likely one of the most-used languages in the whole tech trade!
In response to Stack Overflow’s 2022 developer survey, SQL eclipses even Python when it comes to recognition. In actual fact, it’s the third-most-popular programming language amongst all skilled builders:
However we’re involved particularly with jobs inside the area of knowledge science, so let’s filter issues a bit of additional.
Within the full dataset that Stack Overflow launched right here, we will see that amongst builders who work with knowledge (together with knowledge scientists, knowledge analysts, knowledge engineers, and many others.), about 70% use SQL, in comparison with 61.7% who use Python.
In different phrases: SQL is the most-used language in knowledge science, based on the 8,786 knowledge professionals who responded to Stack Overflow’s survey.
Regardless of a lot of hype round NOSQL, Hadoop, and different applied sciences, SQL stays the preferred language for knowledge work — and one of the crucial widespread languages for builders of all types.
So, What’s the Greatest option to Study SQL?
Now that we all know why we should always study SQL, the apparent query is how?
There are actually hundreds of SQL programs on-line, however most of them don’t put together you to make use of SQL in the true world. The easiest way for instance that is to take a look at the queries they educate you to put in writing:
The queries above exhibit the complexity of the SQL taught on the finish of SQL programs by three of the more-popular on-line studying websites. The issue is that real-world SQL doesn’t appear to be that. Actual-world SQL seems like this:
Whenever you’re answering enterprise questions with knowledge, you typically write SQL queries that want to mix knowledge from many tables and wrangle it into its remaining kind.
The tip result’s college students discovering themselves unprepared for the roles they need, similar to this current put up from an information science discussion board:
What We’re Doing About It
Right here at Dataquest, we imagine that SQL competency is a key talent for anybody who needs to get a job in knowledge.
We’re not suggesting you study SQL as an alternative of Python or R; moderately, we wish you to study SQL as your second language and turn out to be accustomed to writing high-level queries.
We perceive that studying SQL is extremely necessary for knowledge science, and that’s why we provide numerous interactive SQL programs. Listed below are two from our knowledge analyst and knowledge scientist paths:
Our knowledge engineering path additionally consists of a few distinctive programs:
We’ve additionally put collectively a downloadable SQL Cheat Sheet as a helpful reference for the SQL fundamentals.
We write out interactive programs to equip our college students with the talents they want on the degree they’ll want. You received’t spend time watching movies — as an alternative, you’ll be writing your first queries in minutes, and also you’ll be in your option to mastering a very powerful knowledge talent.
Whereas we begin from zero, our programs transcend the fundamentals so you possibly can turn out to be a SQL grasp. For instance, the “real-life” SQL picture above comes from our SQL Intermediate course.
You may enroll and full the primary lesson in every course without spending a dime, and we encourage you to strive them out and tell us what you suppose.
Study SQL the best approach!
Why passively watch video lectures when you possibly can study by doing?
Write actual queries
Work with actual knowledge
Keep in your browser!
Why passively watch video lectures when you possibly can study by doing?
We Love SQL!
I hope I’ve satisfied you that mastering SQL is vital to beginning your profession in knowledge. Whereas it’s straightforward to get distracted by the most recent and best language or framework, studying SQL can pay dividends in your path to breaking into the info trade.
It’d simply be a very powerful language you study.
Concerning the writer
Celeste Grupman
Celeste is the Director of Operations at Dataquest. She is captivated with creating reasonably priced entry to high-quality abilities coaching for college students throughout the globe.
