Chapter 2: Fundamentals of Data Analysis
Welcome to the Fundamentals of Data Analysis chapter! 
This is where the story of Bindle, fictional startup behind the SQL Habit course, begins. Just a little spoiler: Bindle is an early stage startup, it’s an online book library available via subscription. You’ll have a full access to their data warehouse. 
Bindle was launched by a group of friends who has no idea about data and SQL. Guess what – you’ll play a role of their Data Analyst. As the startup grows, you’ll face different challenges – estimate feature usage, calculate marketing metrics, analyze product from various angels and much more.
That’s the magic behind SQL Habit – on one side, you’ll be learning how a startup operates, how data informs decisions. On the other side, you’ll learn all the necessary SQL and Data Analysis techniques to use the data.
Let’s look at chapter’s theoretical agenda. This chapter contains 39 lessons and exercises that will teach you the basic SQL operations:
- selecting raw data from tables
- filtering data
- how if/else logic works in SQL
- data types in SQL
- how to use functions in SQL
- how to structure complex queries
I know, this list 
looks a bit dry, but don’t forget that it’ll all be taught in the context of Bindle. All the data you’ll be working with is no different from some startup in real life.
On the practical side, you’ll learn:
- how to select the right data for your research: users from a specific country, users that signed up on a given week or month, etc
- how to calculate rates: purchase rate, for example
- how to break down users into age groups
- how to check who used a certain feature
Overall, it’s a fun and easy chapter that will level your Google Spreadsheet and SQL knowledge. The interesting stuff starts in the next chapter on running marketing where you’ll learn how to aggregate data. I promise you, it’ll be a life before/after experience – once you master fundamentals and aggregations you’ll be on a whole new level. See you there! 
-
1. Selecting all records from the tableStart
-
2. Sorting recordsStart
-
3. Limiting number of records produced by queryStart
-
4. Filtering records from a tableStart
-
5. Filtering by countryStart
-
6. Inspecting a specific user recordStart
-
7. Count signups from countryStart
-
8. Count signups from the USStart
-
9. Vanity metrics: total number of signupsStart
-
10. Filtering records by timeStart
-
11. Inclusive and non-inclusive comparisonStart
-
12. Combining filtersStart
-
13. Count signups within a time rangeStart
-
14. Count total number of customersStart
-
15. Count customers per countryStart
-
16. Better filtering records with rangesStart
-
17. Number of customers in a monthStart
-
18. Using aliases for columnsStart
-
19. If/else logic via CASE statementStart
-
20. Calculating purchase rate. Part 1Start
-
21. Calculating purchase rate. Part 2Start
-
22. Integer and float numbers in SQLStart
-
23. Calculating purchase rate per countryStart
-
24. Counting number of customers per country in a monthStart
-
25. Count numbers of published booksStart
-
26. Subqueries in SQLStart
-
27. Relational model of dataStart
-
28. Relation types: one to one, one to many, many to manyStart
-
29. Relational model diagramsStart
-
30. Comparing dates and datetimesStart
-
31. Type-castingStart
-
32. Functions in SQLStart
-
33. Counting books users started to read in the first weekStart
-
34. Measuring users activityStart
-
35. Filtering NULL valuesStart
-
36. Analyzing feature: counting users who filled their profileStart
-
37. Feature acceptance criteria: percentage of users who uploaded avatarStart
-
38. Counting in ranges: user ageStart
-
39. Fundamentals of SQL recapStart
Lessons and exercises
![Anatoli Makarevich, author of SQL Habit]()
About SQL Habit
About SQL Habit
Hi, it’s Anatoli, the author of SQL Habit.
SQL Habit is a course (or, as some of the students say, “business simulator”). It’s based on a story of a fictional startup called Bindle. You’ll play a role of their Data Analyst 
and solve real-life challenges from Business, Marketing, and Product Management.
SQL Habit course is made of 13 chapters (you’re looking at one atm) that contain 273 bite-sized lessons and exercises. All of them have a real-life setting and detailed explanations. You can immediately apply everything you’ve learned at work.
The 2nd part of the course is called Practice. It’s made of standalone exercises based on multiple datasets – E-commerce, Finance and Meditation app a-la Headspace or Calm. Practice exercises are harder than in the main course. They’ll get you ready for any challenge at work or an interview. 