T-SQL Challenge #1

Do you want to improve your T-SQL skills? MVP Jacob Sebastian runs regular challenges to get you to think about how to solve a problem in T-SQL. These run monthly and we have a summary and explanation from challenge #1 to help you learn more about moving data from 3 tables into a specific format.

Ten Common SQL Programming Mistakes

It is not always easy to spot "antipatterns" in your SQL, especially in more complex queries. In this article, Plamen demonstrates some of the most common SQL coding errors that he encounters, explains their root cause, and illustrates potential solutions.

Parameterized Queries

Previous T-SQL best practices articles have discussed different coding styles that led to slow and fast query executions, and ways to minimize cached plans. This article will be an extension on those concepts, focusing on how the SQL Server optimizer tries to parameterize a query if it can, as well as how you can build your own parameterized query.

Getting rid of SQL Code

Joe becomes intrigued by the way that experts make errors in any area of technology, and suggests that the problem is more that of mindsets than lack of knowledge. He illustrates the point with SQL Development by means of the "Britney Spears, Automobiles and Squids" table, and the tangled Stored procedure, and shows ways of getting rid of both procedural and non-procedural code by adopting a different programming mindset.

How To Get Table Row Counts Quickly And Painlessly

Use sysindexes\DMVs insead of select count(*) to retreive table row counts

group by

Building Code that Promotes Plan Re-usage

This article, the third in the T-SQL Best Practices series, discusses how to write your code to promote cached plan re-usage. Understanding how white space and comments impact whether a plan is cached or an existing plan is re-used can help you minimize the number of plans your application is caching.

Execute T-SQL Scripts in Parallel

Transact-SQL does not have a simple method to launch multiple parallel running scripts. This tool will change the game. It requires SQL Server 2005 or above.

LIKEable Brackets

SQL 2008 T-SQL