Practical SQL

Tips on SQL, PostgreSQL, and news about the book "Practical SQL: A Beginner's Guide to Storytelling With Data" by Anthony DeBarros. Published by @nostarch.

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

Recent upgrades have also smoothed out the AI Assistant experience, which features a series of assessment reports on your databases and an integrated chat alongside the query tool.

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

Today's release of pgAdmin 4 version 9.15 appears to rectify a number of security issues--good time to upgrade. https://t.co/KnRCsHfeor

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

pgAdmin team working on adding AI capabilities to its popular PostgreSQL query and management tool (i.e., things you learn by watching GitHub repos). https://t.co/4QTOnOZJOV

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

No Starch Black Friday sales is on, including my own Practical SQL: A Beginner's Guide to Storytelling with Data! https://t.co/Dae1TzP3dT

[No Starch Press @nostarch]

Our Black Friday sale starts now! Get 42% off everything with code BLACKFRIDAY25. Time to stock up on your winter reading! Runs through 12/2.

https://t.co/DwLB1N6u2E

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

Wow, JetBrains is making DataGrip available for free for non-commercial use. Great news for students and open-source projects. (And readers of my book.) https://t.co/RF4w2rDLFL

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

https://t.co/bvNoVXpNeA -- my favorite way to run PostgreSQL on macOS -- is making it easier to add extensions to your environment. Really handy. https://t.co/NGTRfr4dHu

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

Newest versions of pgAdmin now let us customize the font in the Query Tool. Nice upgrade.

Set here to MesloLGL Nerd Font:

[Crunchy Data @crunchydata]

Postgres users love Common Table Expressions (CTEs) because they make complex SQL easy to read, create, edit, and reuse.

Simplicity – CTEs let you break a query into smaller logical chunks, with subqueries defined at the top of the query. It is almost like giving a query book chapters.

Build in parts – Since you can test each part of a CTE as its own query, you can build the query in parts that have been individually tested. You can also comment out parts of a CTE for testing and debugging.

Reuse – You can reference the same CTE multiple times in a query, which saves repeating logic.

[黄健宏 @huangzworks]

Anthony DeBarros' excellent book "Practical SQL" is now available in Chinese!🎆🎉 @anthonydb @practicalsql @nostarch

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

What's your favorite free GUI for use with PostgreSQL?

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

pgAdmin developers planning a version 9.1 release on Friday that addresses user concerns related to the new "Workspace" layout. Notably, they've restored the ability to see the server object tree while in the Query Tool, which was a must-have for many users.

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

Important note for new readers of Practical SQL! Today's release of pgAdmin v9.0 introduces a "Workspace" layout that's enabled by default. I've written instrux on how to set the layout back to "Classic," which matches the book and is, IMO, better. https://t.co/7QrkpL6ELa

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

Important note for new readers of Practical SQL! Today's release of pgAdmin v9.0 introduces a "Workspace" layout that's enabled by default. I've written instrux on how to set the layout back to "Classic," which matches the book and is, IMO, better. https://t.co/7QrkpL6ELa

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

I'm always humbled and grateful when this happens, which it has done a couple times (often coinciding with the start of college semesters). Thank you to all my readers! https://t.co/gl1Iz8MRCx

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

Winners have been notified!

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

To support students, career-switchers and others who want to add SQL to their data analysis skillsets in 2025, I'm providing three free copies of "Practical SQL." To enter a drawing for one of the free copies, please provide all the information below!
https://t.co/Fkh15OVtKy

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

ROLLUP and CUBE are now on my PostgreSQL learning to-do list. By @sqlliz

https://t.co/RZ8lheV2w4

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

In the upcoming version 8.14, the pgAdmin developers are providing the ability to shut off the alternating row shadings—a result of negative user feedback.

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

pgAdmin version 8.13, out today, jazzes up the results grid with alternating row colors and paginated output.

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

pgAdmin version 8.13, out today, jazzes up the results grid with alternating row colors and paginated output.

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

Here's how to handle your Python install for PostgreSQL under Windows, given the below thread.
https://t.co/rv5JBGDDdk

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

NOTE! to new readers of Practical SQL: I'm assessing the decision by @EDBPostgres to discontinue its Language Pack installer for Windows as of PostgreSQL 17 -- and thus how to advise you on installing Python support. 🧵

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

Sorry for any trouble!

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

NOTE! to new readers of Practical SQL: I'm assessing the decision by @EDBPostgres to discontinue its Language Pack installer for Windows as of PostgreSQL 17 -- and thus how to advise you on installing Python support. 🧵

[Practical SQL @practicalsql]

Once I figure this out, I'll post directions here: https://t.co/7QrkpL6ELa