Chapter 2: Retrieving Data with SELECT

With an understanding of relational database structure from the previous chapter, we now focus on extracting data. The SELECT statement is the fundamental tool for querying information stored in tables.

This chapter introduces the core syntax and usage of SELECT. You will learn to:

Retrieve specific columns from a table.
Select all available columns.
Use aliases to provide temporary, readable names for columns in your query results.
Control the number of rows returned using the LIMIT clause (or its database-specific equivalent).

Practical exercises are included throughout the sections to help you apply these concepts.

Sections

2.1 The Basic SELECT Statement
2.2 Selecting Specific Columns
2.3 Selecting All Columns
2.4 Using Aliases for Columns
2.5 Limiting Query Results
2.6 Hands-on Practical: Writing Basic SELECT Queries