SQL

The Relationship Detective

Three tables that do not talk to each other. Your job: wire them together with joins and answer the questions no single table can.

SQLBeginnerPortfolio piece

What you'll be able to build

Three tables that do not talk to each other. Your job: wire them together with joins and answer the questions no single table can. Along the way you pick up real, transferable SQL skills, not just this one project:

  • Primary/foreign-key thinking and table relationships
  • INNER JOIN to combine related rows
  • LEFT JOIN to keep unmatched rows (and find the gaps)
  • Multi-table joins (3+ tables) with qualified column names
  • Self-joins to relate a table to itself
  • Anti-joins (LEFT JOIN ... WHERE x IS NULL) to find orphans

A course like this one

Yours is built from your own placement, so module count and depth will differ. This map shows what a beginner-level SQL learner building The Relationship Detective actually gets.

  1. Module 1: Tables, Rows, and Query Intent6 lessons

    Builds the table model for your the relationship detective.

  2. Module 2: Joins, Groups, and Data Shape6 lessons

    Builds the join shape workflow for your the relationship detective.

  3. Module 3: Filters, Conditions, and Result Sets6 lessons

    Builds the filter rule that powers your the relationship detective.

  4. Module 4: Reusable Query Patterns6 lessons

    Builds the reusable query helper for your the relationship detective.

  5. Module 5: Transactions and Data Boundaries6 lessons

    Builds the transaction boundary for your the relationship detective.

  6. Module 6: Reliable Reporting Queries3 lessons

    Builds the report query for your the relationship detective.

How the lessons actually work

Every lesson has you predict what a piece of SQL code will output before you run it, then run it for real in your browser and fix what you got wrong. Each module ends in a challenge gate with hidden tests, so you can't advance until your code actually works. The course closes with a capstone that assembles everything into The Relationship Detective, and a runnable proof page tied to your own code.

Common questions

How long does the The Relationship Detective course take?

about 8.5 hours, across 6 modules and 33 lessons, at roughly 15 minutes per lesson. Your own course may run shorter or longer, since it's sized to your placement result, not a fixed template.

Do I need experience?

No. This is a beginner-tier SQL project, built for someone writing their first real SQL programs.

How much does it cost?

$15 one-time, no subscription. The first module is free, so you can see exactly how the course teaches before you pay for the rest.

No subscription. Module one is free.

Build my The Relationship Detective