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SQL SELECT Basics

Learn to query databases with SQL SELECT — filter, sort, and transform data interactively.

Databases v1.0.0 30 uses
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

  1. 1 Read each step's SQL concept explanation
  2. 2 Write or modify SQL queries in the editor
  3. 3 Click 'Run Query' to see results from the virtual database
  4. 4 Experiment with different clauses
  5. 5 Complete the quiz to test your SQL knowledge

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