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10 Reasons to Learn SQL for Programmers and Software Developers in 2023

Hello guys, if you are on the fence whether to learn SQL or not, or want to learn SQL but not sure whether learning SQL is worth your time and effort then you have come to the right place. Earlier, I have shared best SQL books and courses to learn SQL for Beginners and in this article, I am going to share 10 Reasons to learn SQL. From my 18 years of experience as Software developer and 12 years as a blogger I can safely say that you should learn SQL. In all of these times, I have constantly worked with SQL in my projects and job. While database changes form Oracle to MySQL, to SQL Server, and now PostgreSQL but the knowledge of SQL still pays off. 

SQL is also one of the most in-demand skill for Software developer job and having SQL keyword in Resume makes a huge difference in getting calls and job offers. In short, if you are not sure, learn SQL, if you are in doubt, learn SQL, you will not regret it. 

The database is an important part of modern development. Working with a database is not easy and becomes tougher if the technology or language being used is complicated. If you have any experience in backend development, you may encounter the term "SQL". SQL stands for Structural Query language. It is used to manage relational databases.

A traditional relational database has tables with rows and columns. SQL is used to create such databases and manage them. With SQL, we can add, access, update, and delete data by writing queries. These queries are declarative statements that consist of several clauses. SQL queries can be very simple and at the same time, they can be so complex that even experienced developers will get confused.

SQL has a long history. It first appeared in 1974, nearly 50 years ago. At that time, development standards were nothing compared to modern development. More and more languages and technologies have come out since then. But SQL still maintained its position. Even with the emergence of NoSQL databases such as MongoDB, SQL popularity was affected little.

But many developers, especially beginners have doubts whether they should learn SQL in 2023. Of course, one can argue that learning other popular database technologies such as MongoDB is a better option but that does not mean that SQL is dead. In this article, we will list the top ten reasons for learning SQL in 2023.


10 Reasons to learn SQL for Programmers in 2023

Here are the 10 most convincing reasons to learn SQL and database in 2023. If you have other reasons to learn SQL, feel free to add into comment section. 


1. SQL is everywhere
As mentioned above, SQL came out nearly fifty years ago. That's a very long time. In all those years, SQL's popularity has only increased because the usage of databases has increased immensely. No modern application is complete without a database and relational databases are the oldest form of storing data. Even with the emergence of the NoSQL databases, SQL popularity is affected little. SQL is used all over the globe. So you should learn a technology that is everywhere, right?



2. Easy to learn
Now one can argue that SQL queries can be complex, especially when complicated clauses such as join. But the starting phase of SQL is very easy. If you understand the basics of SQL properly, you will have no problem using even complex clauses. All it needs is practice.



3. Popularity
SQL is very popular. In Stack Overflow's list of most popular programming languages in 2020, SQL was placed in the third position, only behind JavaScript and HTML/CSS. In the same survey, the top 4 most popular databases of 2020 were SQL databases. 

MySQL is the most popular database, followed by PostgreSQLMicrosoft SQL Server, and SQLite. These databases are all based on SQL. The lists of most loved and wanted databases are also filled with SQL databases. So SQL is definitely very popular and you should go for a language that is this popular.

10 Reasons to Learn SQL for Programmers



 

4. Managing data
Data pools can vary in size. It is fairly easier to manage small-sized and medium-sized data pools but when the data pool size increases, it is tough to manage it. SQL is perfect to handle such large-sized data pools. It does not matter if the size is 100 or 100 million, SQL can handle it efficiently.



5. Servers
Along with databases, servers are also a very important part of the backend. SQL is also useful when it comes to servers. MySQL is one of the most popular tools used to create and manage servers. There are several other SQL-based tools for dealing with servers. So if you know SQL, you can work with databases as well as servers.



6. Data mining
CRUD operations are common when working with databases. If you want to become a professional backend developer, you need to understand CRUD operations and how to perform them efficiently. SQL queries perform CRUD operations very efficiently. If you understand the basic clauses of SQL, then you will definitely understand how CRUD operations work.



7. Working with multiple sources
It is not necessary that there is only one source of data in an application. There can be multiple sources and in modern development, it is common to have more than one source. You may encounter a situation where you have to combine data coming from multiple sources. This can be tough and time-consuming. In SQL, it is quite easy to combine data from multiple sources. You only need to understand the UNION operation.



8. Programmer friendly
Now, every programmer who is reading this article will agree that it is always best to work with that language or technology that is programmer-friendly. SQL is a very user-friendly programming language. Its syntax is easy to understand and troubleshooting is quite easy. For example, if there is a syntax error, SQL will clearly mention where it is. Moreover, the error message is clear and up to the point.



9. SQL knowledge is always plus
So it is not necessary that only data engineers or database administrators should have SQL knowledge. As mentioned earlier, SQL is nearly 50 years old and it is everywhere. Almost every company that has databases often wishes for someone fluent in SQL.

 Yes, even if you are going to manage servers, having SQL knowledge will be a plus. 

Even if you are going to work on the front end, having SQL knowledge will be a plus. SQL is also used by data scientists, data analysts, and big data professionals. So SQL is everywhere and having SQL knowledge is always a plus.



10. Bigger opportunities
Being in the business for such a long time, SQL has established itself as a big player in the job market. Startups, medium-sized companies, and IT giants, all use SQL. Even with the emergence of NoSQL databases, SQL is expected to grow in the future.

 It's far from a dying programming language. So, it has a huge market and high-paying jobs. If you are a skilled SQL programmer, you will definitely find a high-paying job. There are many opportunities for SQL programmers.



That's all about the most important reasons to learn SQL in 2023. So, if you think SQL's days are over and you should choose something new like Node.js and MongoDB, then you are wrong. Yes, Node and MongoDB are rising but SQL is still there and it will be there in the future. 

In this article, I have mentioned 10 most convincing reasons which are enough to convince you to choose SQL. So, if you are planning to learn SQL in 2023, go for it. It is easy to learn and full of powerful features. Moreover, it has a huge job market.

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Thanks for reading this article, if you like this SQL article and convinced that learning SQL will only going to help you in your career, then please share it with your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions or feedback, then please drop a note.

P. S. - If you are a beginner and interested in learning Database and SQL and looking for some free resources to start your journey, then you can also take a look at the Introduction to Databases and SQL Querying free course on Udemy to kick-start your learning.

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