Top 10 Free Courses to learn Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle in 2024
These are the best free courses to learn Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server databases from Udemy and edX
If you are an application developer like someone developing a server-side application using Java or .NET or any other programming language which uses a database like Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server or a junior DBA then you must learn these database technologies to effectively work in your Job.
Even though your organization might have DBAs or Database Administrators to help you with the database, more often than not, it’s application developers who end up writing SQL scripts to create data, upload data, query data, and writing complex stored procedures and triggers to implement application functionalities. DBAs job mostly does database installation, access control, security, and other database admin stuff.
Both Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server are very popular database and many organization uses them for storing their data. They also have their own SQL languages like PL/SQL and T-SQL which enhances SQL and allow you to do more powerful stuff by creating SQL scripts.
If you want to learn Oracle and SQL Server then you have come to the right place. In this article, I am going to share 5 free Oracle and SQL server courses you can take online to learn these technologies or improve your knowledge.
I have been sharing free resources like online courses and book for quite some time now and if you are the first time here then you can search through this blog to find out free courses on Java, Python, Linux, Angular, Spring, and many more technologies.
I have a passion for learning and not long ago books were my main source of learning. Whenever I wanted to learn a new framework or programming language, I just buy a couple of books and start with that but ever since I started learning from online courses on Udemy I have never looked back. They are the best way to learn new stuff.
I still read books mostly to learn the concept in-depth but I really find online courses great to start with new technology.
One more reason I spend more time learning with online courses is nowadays is because they are much cheaper than books, you can get courses on just $10.99 or $9.99 on Udemy on their flash sales. I also found many online courses on Udemy where people share their personal experience, which is the most effective way to learn things.
10 Best Courses to learn Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server for FREE
Anyway, let’s come back to the topic. I have used several databases in my career like MySQL, Oracle, SQL Server, and PostgreSQL. Whenever I change the project, I work in a different database which forced me to learn many of them to properly do my job.
As a Software Developer, you have to know SQL as well as the database you are working with. Just knowing SQL is not enough if you are working in Microsoft SQL Server. You must know a little bit about Microsoft SQL Server itself and the query language it uses like Transact-SQL or T-SQL.
The same is true for both Oracle and MySQL. Good knowledge of PL/SQL is required to work effectively on Oracle databases like writing SQL scripts, generating reports, uploading and downloading data, etc.
These free online courses and tutorials are great to start with Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server. They are not the most comprehensive or provide in-depth knowledge but they will give you enough detail to perform your day-to-day tasks.
1. Microsoft SQL for Beginners (SQL Server and T-SQL) [FREE]
This free Microsoft SQL Server course is meant for absolute beginners who want to learn about Databases and SQL for Microsoft SQL Server online.
This course covers a series of topics and you will learn essential database concepts and SQL including
- Setting up and installing SQL Server
- Installing a sample database
- Select Queries with WHERE clause
- Advanced SQL Queries
- Joins, Aggregate Functions, and subqueries
- Stored Procedures and Views
Here is the link to sign up for FREE — Microsoft SQL for Beginners (SQL Server and T-SQL)
2. Oracle SQL: An Introduction to the most popular database
This beginner’s course is for you if you want to learn about Oracle SQL and the six principal clauses of the SELECT statement.
You will learn how to install a version of Oracle Express Edition and Oracle SQL Developer for free.
We’ll then look at the SELECT statement with its 6 main clauses (SELECT, FROM, WHERE, GROUP BY, HAVING, and ORDER BY).
Following this, we’ll look at what else you need to know, and resources (which range from FREE to very expensive) which will help you to learn it.
No prior knowledge is required — just a willingness to learn.
Here is the link to sign up for FREE — SQL Server in One Hour!
Btw, if you don’t mind paying few bucks to learn a valuable skill as Oracle and PL/SQL then I also recommend you check out Oracle PL/SQL Fundamentals vol. I & II course on Udemy. It’s a great course to learn both Oracle and PL/SQL and you can get in just $9.99 on crazy Udemy sales which happens every month.
3. SQL Server in One Hour! [FREE]
In this short free course, you will learn Microsoft SQL Server Database System From Scratch & Build a Sample Project
In this course, you will learn the Microsoft SQL server From Scratch. You will learn first by understand essential Database concepts, then we will install the SQL server, create a sample database inside the SQL server.
And we will start learning the basics of SQL server like insert/update/delete statement, primary key, order by and group by and other stuff. Also, I will create a sample C# application and show you how to connect with the SQL server and build a small login form.
Here is the link to sign up for FREE —SQL Server in One Hour!
4. Oracle SQL Starting Point
In this course, you will learn how to install and configure install Oracle, SQL Developer and gain a sound understanding of SQL, SQL Plus, and SQL Developer
You will learn how to create database connections, execute commands and scripts, and learn to display your results in a way that makes your work easier.
The course also teaches you how to export data in different formats using different methods and how to use code templates and snippets to write code easier and faster.
It’s important to know your tool to become a better developer and that’s why I highly recommend this course to the programmer who uses Oracle SQL Developer tool to work with Oracle Database. It’s free so you have nothing to lose.
Here is the link to sign up for FREE — Oracle SQL Starting Point
This is an awesome course to learn Oracle SQL Server, an IDE or tool which allows you to connect to multiple Oracle database and run SQL query against them.
It’s like SQL server Management studio or TOAD, another popular tool to connect and work with Oracle database.
5. Microsoft SQL Server — An Introduction
This is an awesome free course to start with Microsoft SQL Server. Whether you are an application developer or an aspiring DBA, you will benefit from this course. It’s very detailed and introduces you to many parts of SQL Server like
- SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS, which allows you to learn T-SQL and execute queries.
- SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), which automates the conversion of data.
- SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS), which allows the creation of cubes, and
- SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), which allows for the creation of reports.
Here is the link to sign up for FREE — Microsoft SQL Server — An Introduction
You will also learn about Microsoft SQL Server exams and where to go to learn more and gain some real-world experience.
In short, a great introductory course on Microsoft SQL Server for anyone who wants to learn SQL Server and T-SQL. You should join this course to start your SQL Server journey, it’s also free so you have nothing to lose.
6. Oracle SQL — A Complete Introduction
Oracle is one of the most popular relational databases of all time. This free course introduces Oracle SQL to anyone who is interested in getting into Oracle SQL Development like application developers and DBAs.
This is a basic course and starts with SQL so if you know SQL already then you may feel bored with the slow pace of the course. It’s not the best of the Oracle course you will see but the most important thing is its free and provides a decent introduction of Oracle SQL.
In short, join this free course only if you are starting with scratch otherwise head to the next course which is more interesting and provides some useful tips and tricks while using Oracle SQL Developer, a tool most of use to work with Oracle database.
Here is the link to sign up for FREE — Oracle SQL — A Complete Introduction
7. The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a SQL Server DBA
This free course is specially designed for IT professionals who want to become a SQL Server DBA, which is a very lucrative career.
I have many SQL Server DBA friends in London and the USA which are making good money as consultants and inspired many people to get into Database administration.
This course will teach you everything you wanted to know about becoming a SQL Server DBA but were afraid to ask.
The primary purpose of this course is to give people a sample of what the SQL Server administration is all about, what are the skills and information you need to become a SQL Server DBA.
Here is the link to sign up for FREE —The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a SQL Server DBA
You will also find some guidelines as to what to expect from the job, and get some hands-on experience in installing and navigating through the SQL Server management studio.
8. Advanced Databases and SQL Querying
You might know that different database vendors have different SQL dialect to use in their database, which provides additional functionalities on top of SQL.
For example, Oracle has PL/SQL and Microsoft SQL Server has T-SQL which provides loops, operators, and functions to write powerful SQL server scripts and stored procedures.
This free course will teach you those advanced T-SQL querying concepts, which will allow you to write complex SQL Queries.
This course covers advanced concepts like Views, Triggers, Dynamic Queries, etc. The T-SQL Scripts for all demos are uploaded. The course about 2+hours and has assignments at the end of each concept.
Here is the link to sign up for FREE — Advanced Databases and SQL Querying
9. Querying Data with Transact-SQL
Along with Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server is another popular relational database and it has its own SQL dialects T-SQL. It provides some useful functions and operators to standard SQL.
If you want to learn SQL in Microsoft SQL Server then this is the right course for you. In this free online training course from edX, you will learn how to install SQL Server Express for free, thanks to edX Team
You will also learn how to create tables and add data to tables. Once you have your database ready you can start practicing SQL queries. This makes this course ideal for beginner DBAs as well for programmers and application developers who use MSSQL.
Here is the link to sign up for FREE — Querying Data with Transact-SQL
10. Practical Oracle SQL with real-life exercises
This is another free course to learn Oracle SQL on Udemy. The course teaches you Oracle SQL. The course tries to impart knowledge using two methods.
1. Lectures. The lectures introduce you to the basics of Oracle SQL and also the important nuances. For example, apart from learning what a NULL value means, you will also learn the situations the NULL values can be problematic.
2. Exercises — PDFs -> The exercises deal with the concepts introduced in the videos and their nuances.
The answers to a question and the explanation will be provided on the next page. Occasionally, some questions can also ask you to do some self-exploration (recommended) on a topic related to the lecture. If you do not have time to do that, you can look at the answer with the explanation on the next page as well.
Here is the link to sign up for FREE — Querying Data with Transact-SQL
That’s all about some of the free online training courses to learn Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server. These courses not only teach you the basics of Oracle or SQL Server but also the SQL dialect they use like PL/SQL and T-SQL. If you are an application developer or junior DBA working your way to learn these technologies, these courses are great to start with.
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Thanks for reading this article so far. If you like these free online courses to learn Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle database then please share with your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions or feedback then please drop a note.
P. S. — If you don’t mind paying few bucks to learn a valuable skill as Oracle and PL/SQL then I also recommend you check out Oracle PL/SQL Fundamentals vol. I & II course on Udemy. It’s a great course to learn both Oracle and PL/SQL and you can get in just $9.99 on crazy Udemy sales which happens every month.
P.P.S. — Similarly, if you need a comprehensive course to learn Microsoft SQL Server then I recommend Microsoft SQL for Beginners, a comprehensive course to learn SQL queries using Microsoft SQL Server and the T-SQL language.
