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SQL Interview Guide

This document serves as a quick guide to SQL, covering its definition, differences from NoSQL, and key concepts such as primary and foreign keys. It details various SQL JOIN types, commands, aggregate functions, and examples of common queries. Additionally, it explains the differences between DELETE, TRUNCATE, and DROP, along with indexing and finding the second highest salary.

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himanshukla545
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22 views3 pages

SQL Interview Guide

This document serves as a quick guide to SQL, covering its definition, differences from NoSQL, and key concepts such as primary and foreign keys. It details various SQL JOIN types, commands, aggregate functions, and examples of common queries. Additionally, it explains the differences between DELETE, TRUNCATE, and DROP, along with indexing and finding the second highest salary.

Uploaded by

himanshukla545
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

SQL INTERVIEW QUICK GUIDE (JOINS + COMMANDS + TOP QUERIES)

1. What is SQL?
SQL is a language to store, retrieve, and manipulate data in relational databases.

2. SQL vs NoSQL
SQL: Structured, relational, table-based.
NoSQL: Document/JSON, scalable, flexible schemas.

3. Primary Key
Uniquely identifies each row; cannot be NULL.

4. Foreign Key
Links two tables; references primary key of another table.

5. WHERE vs HAVING
WHERE filters rows before grouping.
HAVING filters groups after GROUP BY.

6. SQL JOINS (Simple)

INNER JOIN:
Returns only matching rows from both tables.
Example:
SELECT [Link], d.dept_name FROM employees e
INNER JOIN departments d ON e.dept_id = d.dept_id;

LEFT JOIN:
Returns all rows from left table + matches from right.
Example:
SELECT [Link], d.dept_name FROM employees e
LEFT JOIN departments d ON e.dept_id = d.dept_id;

RIGHT JOIN:
Returns all rows from right table + matches from left.

FULL JOIN:
All rows from both tables (match + no match).

CROSS JOIN:
Cartesian product: every row paired with every row.

SELF JOIN:
Table joined with itself.

7. SQL Commands

DDL (Structure):
CREATE, ALTER, DROP, TRUNCATE

DML (Data):
INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE

DQL:
SELECT

DCL:
GRANT, REVOKE

TCL (Transactions):
COMMIT, ROLLBACK, SAVEPOINT

8. Aggregate Functions
COUNT, SUM, AVG, MAX, MIN

9. GROUP BY Example
SELECT dept_id, COUNT(*) FROM employees GROUP BY dept_id;

10. ORDER BY Example


SELECT * FROM employees ORDER BY salary DESC;

11. Subquery Example


SELECT name FROM employees WHERE salary > (SELECT AVG(salary) FROM employees);

12. CTE Example


WITH avg_sal AS (SELECT AVG(salary) a FROM employees)
SELECT name FROM employees, avg_sal WHERE salary > a;

13. Window Function Example


SELECT name, salary, RANK() OVER(ORDER BY salary DESC) rank FROM employees;

14. CASE WHEN Example


SELECT name, CASE WHEN salary > 50000 THEN 'High' ELSE 'Low' END FROM employees;

15. IN / EXISTS Example


SELECT name FROM employees WHERE city IN (SELECT city FROM students);

SELECT [Link] FROM employees e


WHERE EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM students s WHERE [Link] = [Link]);

16. DELETE vs TRUNCATE vs DROP


DELETE: removes rows (can use WHERE).
TRUNCATE: removes all rows instantly, no WHERE.
DROP: removes table structure.

17. Index Example


CREATE INDEX idx_emp_name ON employees(name);

18. 2nd Highest Salary


SELECT MAX(salary) FROM employees
WHERE salary < (SELECT MAX(salary) FROM employees);

19. FULL JOIN Logic


JOIN merges rows; SELECT decides which columns show.

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