SQL SELECT Basics
Learn to query databases with SQL SELECT — filter, sort, and transform data interactively.
Category: Databases
·
v1.0.0
Step 1 of 4
Step 1: Meet the Data
Throughout this lab, you'll query a virtual employees table. Here's what it looks like:
| id | name | department | salary | hire_year |
|---|
SQL queries retrieve data from tables like this. The most basic query:
SELECT * FROM employees;The * means "all columns".
About This Lab
SQL (Structured Query Language) is how you talk to databases. In this lab, you'll learn the SELECT statement from the ground up — retrieving columns, filtering rows with WHERE, sorting with ORDER BY, and limiting results. You'll practice on a virtual employees table right in your browser, with instant feedback on every query.
How It Works
- Read each step's SQL concept explanation
- Write or modify SQL queries in the editor
- Click 'Run Query' to see results from the virtual database
- Experiment with different clauses
- Complete the quiz to test your SQL knowledge