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Best books to learn MySQL
I've started a new job and need to brush up on my MySQL skills.
My previous experience was around Firebird SQL years ago (+-7 years ago). I've since done basic MySQL tasks as I've needed to add records to PDNS (via MySQL DB) and Postfix (via MySQL DB).
However with lack of use my skills have dulled. I used to be able to do things like left outer joins without thinking, but now I find myself scratching my head.
What books would you recommend to get me back up to speed?
Thanks!
Thanked by 1definitelyliam
Comments
Google <- its free
@masterqqq - fuck off and go get your post count up elsewhere. I'm asking people to find their personal experience - not to see who has the biggest adword budget on Google.
If you're already familiar with vanilla SQL syntax, great.
Best way is to create a problem, or recreate other peoples problems and solve them. Like, how do I group by primary key and second field showing the max value for 3rd field.
TBH I think you can suss out "which query to do" and have the wisdom required in a week or two. The fine art is in structuring the information for its use and efficiency of getting at it. To that end, it's not a book but mysqlperformanceblog.com is the kind of thing worth reading.
I also agree.
@jeromeza honestly books are not really a good resource anymore. So if you specifically want books I'm not much help.
Web resources:
W3Schools: http://www.w3schools.com/sql/default.asp
MySQL.com : http://dev.mysql.com/doc/
Basic MYSQL: http://www.mysqltutorial.org/basic-mysql-tutorial.aspx
There's definitely value in searching for web resources because books don't get updates.
Google as the solution to learn mysql isn't entirely false, by the way.
Oh, reading stackoverflow's top rated/most popular mysql tagged questions might also help.
Use mariadb better performance and stability.
MySQL crashes too often if u dont know what you are doing (and... that goes for me)
@jeromeza I have this book on my Kindle
Whilst it's true in some cases that books go out of date that is not so true in MySQL, count, joins, keys, relationships and so on are largely unchanged if at all in many cases.
Sounds like all you need is a quick reference book to remind you what's available and how you do it. That type of book will cover it and you can pick up the new elements as you need to. No idea how the book actually reads as I never have
LOL...sorry, that's ridiculous.
I'm not a MySQL pro so I don't know any titles but there are other technologies you could ask me about and I'd point you at very good books.
That's why they publish new ones...
The other thing is that if you find a well reviewed book it's going to be more reliable than Google in many cases. It's far easier to find the wrong way to do something that works on a random Google search.
Dude why are you being very rude against an fellow LET member he is is offering his advice that's all if you don't like members comment you should never open a thread.
@simonindia - Telling someone to Google isn't advice, it's trolling. Pure and simple. If I wanted to pick a random book / site off Google I would have done so. I'm looking for PERSONAL experience, not what a search engine deems I should buy.
For all others who have actually taken the time to comment and assist, many thanks. I'm playing around with http://www.mysqltutorial.org/basic-mysql-tutorial.aspx this for now. Thanks @agoldenberg - I'd still like to find a book though so i'll keep an eye out, whilst looking at the book @Lee mentioned.
"MySQL made easy", haven't you heard?
If you believe that I'm a nobody to question your choice but don't be rude that's all there are enough rude people here.
Have a great day
What you define as trolling does not mean everyone agrees with you.
I won't question how you want to interpret my comment to be neither am I going to start being rude. I am just going to say if you want to be rude its your choice as its a public forum everyone has their own opinions.
Have a great day.
O'Reilly Media publishes really good IT books from my experience and they are also available as ebooks. I can't really suggest you a specific title however I saw that they have plenty of books about SQL and MySQL.
Google teach people to googling every problem they had (incidentally). Dont buy any book titled "x day to master y"
Book still the best way to learn, because it has structure (step by step for beginner).
Problem with books is that they are 2 to 3 years out of date most times before they even hit the distribution channels. Before the age of massive computerization it was 4 to 6 years.
fuck I thanked the wrong guy and there is no unthank button. How stupid one can be.
Anyways if you really want learn there is youtube and there are some free courses available on udemy. Just search mysql on udemy and you will find them it is straight forward.
If what you are after is MySQL specific features, I would recommend you to read MySQL official documents (http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/). I hate reading docs, but this one is an exception. Else if you want to learn general SQL knowledges, I would recommend video tutorials from Team Tree House or Pluralsight.
There is. You just need to reload the page.
Nobody reads any more, that is clear from this thread.
Tangentially, What is the best resource for Postgres newbie?( I like emailing links)
Their official docs are excellent though.
Of course I use web searches, but I still like and use books too. Whenever I go out somewhere, I bring a book. When I go, I have a book, too. (eew, sorry!)
It has been about a decade since I did anything significant with MySQL. At the time I had experience with databases that used other query languages, but not MySQL. I bought a book titled "MySQL" (2nd edition, 2003) by Paul Dubois. It is over 1,000 pages. It worked well for me.
That same book is titled "MySQL (Developer's Library)" and is now in its 5th edition, published in 2013. Based on my previous experience, I would recommend it. Take this recommendation with a grain of salt. It is possible (likely?) that better MySQL books have been written since I used it, but the fact that it has survived five editions must mean something.
I learned MySQL through side projects (I used MySQL a lot for my installers, etc).
Anyways, learning for me is easiest through application, but if you're better at soaking up that SQL syntax through reading, I'd recommend simply looking over web resources.
Probably not a basic book (a little specialized one), but this one has some good points AFAIK
http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920022343.do
(Not personal experience, but from my coworkers)