SQL Roadmap 2026
6 phases · 8 weeks · build one project in every phase.
Step-by-step plan
- Install MySQL or PostgreSQL
- SELECT, WHERE, ORDER BY
- Data types and NULL
- INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE
- CASE and LIKE
Project: Create a student records database and write 30 basic queries on it
- Inner and outer joins
- Self and cross joins
- GROUP BY and HAVING
- Conditional aggregation
- ROLLUP
Project: Build a sales report with revenue by region, category and month from an orders database
- Scalar and correlated subqueries
- IN and EXISTS
- CTEs
- Recursive CTEs
- Duplicate handling
Project: Solve 25 classic interview problems including Nth salary, duplicates and org hierarchy
- ROW_NUMBER, RANK, DENSE_RANK
- LAG and LEAD
- Running totals
- Moving averages
- Frames
Project: Analyse an app events dataset for retention, consecutive logins and month-over-month growth
- Keys and constraints
- Normalisation
- ER diagrams
- Star schema
- Slowly changing dimensions
Project: Design and create a normalised schema for a food delivery app with sample data
- Indexes and execution plans
- Query tuning
- Transactions and isolation
- Views, procedures, triggers
- Mock interviews
Project: Tune five slow queries on a million-row table and document before and after timings
Practise each topic
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to learn SQL?
Following this roadmap takes about 8 weeks with regular practice. Working professionals usually need a little longer.
What should I learn first in SQL?
Start with phase 1: Install MySQL or PostgreSQL, SELECT, WHERE, ORDER BY, Data types and NULL. Build the phase project before moving on.
How do I know I am job-ready in SQL?
When you can finish all phase projects on your own, solve the medium questions in the topic sheets and clear the mock interview comfortably.