Structured Query Language (SQL) plays a crucial role in data science as it enables us to manipulate and analyze data stored in relational databases. SQL allows us to retrieve specific data points, modify existing data, perform calculations, and generate insights. Let's explore some key concepts and examples:
Querying data: The SELECT statement is used to retrieve data from a table. For instance, 'SELECT * FROM customers' retrieves all the rows and columns from the 'customers' table.
Filtering data: The WHERE clause allows us to specify conditions for selecting data based on certain criteria. For example, 'SELECT * FROM customers WHERE age >= 25' retrieves all customers who are 25 years or older.
Joining tables: The JOIN operation combines rows from different tables based on a related column. For instance, 'SELECT orders.order_id, customers.name FROM customers JOIN orders ON customers.customer_id = orders.customer_id' retrieves the order ID and customer name from the 'orders' and 'customers' tables, respectively.
Remember to always include proper table names, column names, and use appropriate syntax while writing SQL queries.