Top 20

SQL
Interview Questions

Be the SQL Boss

 *Disclaimer*

Everyone learns uniquely.

What matters is learning according to your

own pace, and perfecting each topic.

This doc will help you revisit SQL concepts

through interview questions.

Happy Learning!
 Q1. What is SQL?
Ans. SQL (Structured Query Language) is a domain-specific
language used to manage and manipulate relational
databases.

Q2. What is a Database?

Ans. A database is a structured collection of data that is
organized and stored for easy retrieval and management.

Q3. Which SQL command categories

are you familiar with?
Ans.k
{ Data Definition Language (DDL): Used to define and
modify the structure of a databaseŽ
{ Data Manipulation Language (DML): Used to access,
manipulate, and modify data in a databaseŽ
{ Data Control Language (DCL): Used to manage user
access to database data, granting or revoking privileges
to individuals or groups.
 " Transaction Control Language (TCL): Used to oversee

transactions within a database

" Data Query Language (DQL): Utilized for querying and

extracting essential information from a database's data.

Q 4. Explain SELECT statement.

Ans. SELECT retrieves data from a database table. It's used to

query and fetch specific data.

Q 5. What is a JOIN in SQL?

Ans. JOIN combines rows from two or more tables based on a

related column to retrieve data from multiple tables.

Differentiate between INNER JOIN

Q 6.

and LEFT JOIN.

Ans. INNER JOIN returns only matching rows from both

tables, while LEFT JOIN returns all rows from the left table

and matching rows from the right table.

 Q7. Explain the GROUP BY clause.
Ans. GROUP BY groups rows that have the same values into
summary rows, typically to perform aggregate functions on
the grouped data.

Q8. Can you name some SQL

constraints?
Ans.Q
y DEFAULT: Sets a default value for a column~
y UNIQUE: Ensures only distinct values are allowed~
y NOT NULL: Requires values to be non-null~
y PRIMARY KEY: Enforces uniqueness and non-null values
(a combination of NOT NULL and UNIQUE)~
y FOREIGN KEY: Establishes connections between multiple
tables using shared keys.

Q9. Define Index in SQL.

Ans. An index is a database object used to improve the speed
of data retrieval operations on a database table.
 Q10. Explain normalization and

its types.
Ans. Normalization is the process of organizing data in a
database to reduce redundancy. Types include 1NF, 2NF, and
3NF.

Q11. What is an SQL injection?

Ans. SQL injection is a malicious technique where an
attacker inserts malicious SQL code into a query, potentially
compromising the database.

Q12. How to update a table?

Ans. You can update records in a table using the UPDATE
statement. Here's the basic syntax for updating data in a
table:
SQL
UPDATE table_name

SET column1 = value1, column2 = value2, ...

WHERE condition;
 Q13. What is the difference between
UNION and UNION ALL?
Ans. UNION combines and removes duplicate rows, while
UNION ALL combines all rows, including duplicates.

Q14. Explain ACID properties in the

context of databases.
Ans. ACID stands for Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and
Durability, ensuring the reliability of database transactions.

Q15. What is the purpose of the HAVING

clause?
Ans. HAVING is used in combination with the GROUP BY clause
to filter grouped rows based on specified conditions.

Q16. How do you perform a full database

backup?
Ans. Use the BACKUP DATABASE statement to create a full
backup of a SQL Server database.
 Q17. What is the DISTINCT statement
and how do you use it?
Ans. The DISTINCT statement in SQL is used to retrieve
unique values from a specific column or set of columns in a
database table. It ensures that the result set only contains
distinct (unique) values, eliminating duplicate entries.

Here's how you use the DISTINCT statement:

SQL
SELECT DISTINCT column1, column2, ...

FROM table_name

WHERE condition;

Q18. What is a stored procedure?

Ans. A stored procedure is a precompiled collection of one
or more SQL statements, stored for future execution.
 Q19. What is an ALIAS command?
Ans. In SQL, the ALIAS command, often referred to as the AS
keyword, is used to give a table or column a temporary
name. It is primarily used for making column or table names
more readable or for shortening lengthy names in query
results. For example, you can use AS to create an alias like
this:
SQL
SELECT first_name AS “First Name”, last_name AS “Last
Name” FROM employees;

In this query, "First Name" and "Last Name" are aliases for the
first_name and last_name columns, respectively, making the
result set more human-readable.

Q20. Explain the concept of a self-join.

Ans. A self-join is when a table is joined with itself, typically
using aliases to distinguish between the two instances.
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