Top 5 Data Analytics Tools Every Beginner Should Know

Equip yourself with these essential data analytics tools to kickstart your career in the data-driven world.

Rishabh Khampariya
3 min readApr 8, 2023
Photo by Isaac Smith on Unsplash

Data analytics is an ever-evolving field, with a plethora of tools available to help professionals make sense of vast amounts of data. As a beginner, it can be overwhelming to navigate through these tools and choose the ones that are best suited for your needs. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of the top 5 data analytics tools every beginner should know. These tools are widely used, versatile, and user-friendly, making them perfect for anyone starting their data analytics journey.

Python

Python is a versatile and powerful programming language, popular among data analysts and scientists for its readability and extensive library support. With libraries like Pandas, NumPy, and Matplotlib, you can manipulate, analyze, and visualize data with ease. Moreover, Python is a great language for machine learning, thanks to libraries like Scikit-learn and TensorFlow.

Resources for learning Python:

R

R is a programming language specifically designed for statistical computing and graphics. It has a rich ecosystem of packages and libraries like dplyr, ggplot2, and Shiny, which make data analysis and visualization a breeze. R is particularly popular among statisticians and is often used in academia and research.

Resources for learning R:

SQL

Structured Query Language (SQL) is a domain-specific language used to manage and query relational databases. As a data analyst, you’ll often work with data stored in databases, making SQL an essential skill to master. SQL allows you to perform tasks such as filtering, sorting, aggregating, and joining data from multiple tables.

Resources for learning SQL:

Tableau / Power BI

Tableau & PowerBI are powerful data visualization tools that enable users to create interactive and shareable dashboards. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, Tableau allows you to explore and visualize data without the need for programming skills. This tool is widely used across industries for its ability to transform raw data into actionable insights.

Resources for learning Tableau:

Power BI is a business analytics service by Microsoft that provides interactive visualizations and business intelligence capabilities. With its easy-to-use interface, you can create reports and dashboards, connect to various data sources, and collaborate with team members. Power BI is an excellent choice for users already familiar with the Microsoft ecosystem.

Resources for learning Power BI:

MS Excel and Google Sheets

MS Excel and Google Sheets are spreadsheet tools that offer a broad range of functionalities for data analysts. Both tools are used to perform calculations, create pivot tables, and generate charts and graphs, making them invaluable for data analysis tasks. Excel and Sheets also support more advanced features, such as conditional formatting, data validation, and VBA/macros, allowing you to create customized solutions for specific data challenges.

Resources for learning MS Excel and Google Sheets:

Mastering these top 5 data analytics tools will equip you with the skills necessary to excel in your data analytics career. By learning Python or R for programming, SQL for database management, and Tableau or Power BI for data visualization, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a sought-after data analyst.

Remember, practice is key when it comes to mastering these tools. Start by working on small projects and gradually challenge yourself with more complex tasks. Over time, you’ll become proficient in using these tools to solve real-world data problems.

If you found this article helpful, please share it with your network, and don’t forget to follow us for more content tailored to beginners in the data analytics field. Good luck on your learning journey!

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Rishabh Khampariya
Rishabh Khampariya

Written by Rishabh Khampariya

Analytics professional with experience across industries (Marketing, Banking, e-commerce & fintech) at organisations like Mu Sigma, Axis Bank & Amazon