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SQL Developers

  • April 17, 2015 at 7:34 pm

    #398346

    Hey everyone. So, I've been studying SQL for about 2 years now and I really enjoy it, have decided to pursue it heavily as a career and just recently have decided officially that I enjoy the development side of SQL a lot more than the administration side of it.

    I have recently passed my 70-461 exam and have read T-SQL Fundamentals by Itzik Ben-Gan, and was wondering, really if there are any other books someone would recommend I check out to help further my understanding of SQL. I know that SQL and Relational Theory is recommended, and I do have a copy of that (though its not all easy reading) but is there anything else out there that anyone would recommend as a "Must Read" for SQL developers? I had picked up a copy of SQL Server Internals and the Microsoft training kit for 70-462 as I had some extra cash when I was buying SQL books and found good deals on Amazon, but as I'm not as interested in the administration side I am looking for other resources to help fuel my knowledge on the subject. Any advice is welcome!

  • April 18, 2015 at 12:56 am

    #1791796

    Generally speaking, Itzik Ben-Gan's books are the best you can find out there. He has a few of them that are worth reading. Some of the materials overlap, but there are differences.

    Joe Celko also has some good books that will help develop your way of thinking, and "SQL in a Nutshell" is good also.

  • April 18, 2015 at 1:00 pm

    #1791824

    I was a DBA turned developer in 2010. I like administration but love development. If you are interested in a career as a SQL Developer you should consider getting up to speed on SSIS. It seams that most SQL Developer jobs these days require some SSIS experience. You don't have to be a guru but some experience will certainly make you competitive.

    Microsoft SQL Server 2012 High-Performance T-SQL Using Window Functions by Ben Gan is my favorite T-SQL book and covers some common real world problems in an effective way.

    These can be downloaded for free from Redgate Press:

    Inside the SQL Server Query Optimizer by Benjamin Nevarez

    SQL Server Execution Plans by Grant Fritchey

    Both are great.

    Any blog post by Jeff Moden, Dwain Camps, Paul White, Adam Mechanic, Gail Shaw or (of course) Ben Gan is worth the read.

    SQL Server Central stairways are great too.

    "I cant stress enough the importance of switching from a sequential files mindset to set-based thinking. After you make the switch, you can spend your time tuning and optimizing your queries instead of maintaining lengthy, poor-performing code."

    -- Itzik Ben-Gan 2001

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