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Common Mistakes in SQL

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Richard Smith
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27 views

Common Mistakes in SQL

Uploaded by

Richard Smith
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ADITYA MOHAPATRA

Common SQL
Mistakes to
Avoid for Data
Analysts
Enhance your SQL skills by steering clear
of these common pitfalls!
1. Forgetting the
WHERE clause in
UPDATE or DELETE

Missing a WHERE clause can modify


all rows in a table, leading to
unintended consequences.

Always double-check that a WHERE


clause is in place.

EXAMPLE :Use DELETE FROM Orders


WHERE OrderID = 1234 instead of
just DELETE FROM Orders.

ADITYA MOHAPATRA
2. Using SELECT *
in Large Tables

SELECT * fetches all columns, which


can slow down queries and overload
memory.

Select only the columns you need for


faster performance.

EXAMPLE : Replace SELECT * FROM


Customers with SELECT
CustomerName, Country FROM
Customers.

ADITYA MOHAPATRA
3. Not Handling NULL
Values Properly

NULL values can impact calculations


and join results, causing incorrect
analysis.

Use functions like COALESCE() to


replace NULL values as needed.

EXAMPLE : SELECT COALESCE(Salary,


0) FROM Employees ensures no NULL
salaries are returned.

ADITYA MOHAPATRA
4. Misusing GROUP
BY with Aggregates

Aggregated functions like SUM and


COUNT require a GROUP BY clause.

Group by non-aggregated columns to


avoid errors.

EXAMPLE : SELECT Department,


COUNT(EmployeeID) FROM
Employees GROUP BY Department.

ADITYA MOHAPATRA
5. Confusing WHERE
and HAVING Clauses

WHERE filters data before aggregation,


while HAVING filters aggregated data.

Use WHERE for row-level filters and


HAVING for group-level filters.

EXAMPLE : SELECT Region, SUM(Sales)


FROM Orders GROUP BY Region
HAVING SUM(Sales) > 5000.

ADITYA MOHAPATRA
6. Misunderstanding
JOIN Types

Using the wrong join type can


exclude necessary data (e.g., INNER
JOIN vs. LEFT JOIN).

Ensure the join type aligns with the


data analysis needs.

EXAMPLE : Use LEFT JOIN when you


want to keep all rows from one table.

ADITYA MOHAPATRA
7. Neglecting Query
Performance
Optimization

Complex or unoptimized queries can


slow down processing.

Use EXPLAIN to understand and


optimize your query’s execution plan.

EXAMPLE : EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM


Orders WHERE OrderDate > '2023-01-
01' helps identify potential
performance improvements.

ADITYA MOHAPATRA

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