Relational Database Design and SQL Fundamentals

Many developers and data professionals can write basic SQL queries but struggle to design efficient, error-free databases from scratch. Poor database structure leads to redundant data, slow performance, and maintenance headaches down the road. This written course guides you through the core principles of relational database design, equipping you with the skills to architecture solid data models. You will progress from understanding raw data relationships to building fully normalized, high-performance database schemas. What you'll learn: - Understand the foundational concepts of relational models, entities, and primary/foreign keys. - Model complex data relationships including one-to-many, many-to-many, and self-referencing tables. - Apply normalization techniques from first normal form (1NF) up to Boyce-Codd (BCNF) and fourth normal form (4NF). - Enforce data integrity using constraints, rules, and functional dependencies. - Design modern schemas that handle both structured relational data and semi-structured formats like JSON. - Optimize database performance through smart indexing strategies and query structure. You will start with fundamental database terminology before moving on to hands-on structural design, entity-relationship modeling, and normalization. The course concludes with practical SQL implementation techniques to apply your designs in SQL Server and other relational engines. This course is designed for beginners, developers, and aspiring data analysts with no prior database design experience. Start building clean, professional, and scalable databases today.