Course Overview
5 Topics
1
What is SQL?
An intuitive introduction to Structured Query Language, starting with non-technical analogies and moving to its formal technical definition.
Commonly asked in entry-level engineering interviews to evaluate your baseline database knowledge and relational query understanding.
2
Why SQL Exists
A historical view of file storage, the relational model paper by Edgar F. Codd, and how SQL became standard.
Interviewers at FAANG companies often ask about the evolution of databases to test whether candidates understand why relational systems were needed over flat-file storage.
3
Why SQL Still Dominates
A comparison of SQL vs NoSQL, key-value stores, and graph databases in production environments.
Senior engineers are expected to justify technology choices. Interviewers ask "Why PostgreSQL over MongoDB?" to test whether you understand the trade-offs between consistency, scalability, and query flexibility.
4
Where SQL Is Used
Case studies of how large-scale companies like Amazon, Uber, and Netflix use relational databases.
System design interviews frequently require you to justify database choices using real-world case studies. Knowing how FAANG companies architect their SQL systems gives you concrete examples to reference.
5
Career Relevance
How database skills impact software development careers and backend engineering interviews.
SQL skills are tested in nearly every backend engineering interview. Companies like Meta, Google, and Amazon include dedicated SQL rounds where you must write optimized queries under time pressure.