Stairway to U-SQL

As Microsoft continues to expand the Azure platform, they have enhanced its ability in ways that are quite different from what we've come to expect from SQL Server. Learn about the new language from Microsoft, U-SQL, designed to work with Data Lakes and Big Data in Azure.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 1: Introduction to U-SQL and Azure Data Lakes

  An introductory guide to querying files in Azure Data Lakes using Microsoft's U-SQL language.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 2: Breakdown of a U-SQL Statement

  Following on from our introduction to U-SQL, we take a look at how a typical U-SQL statement is constructed.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 3: Processing Multiple Files With U-SQL

  In part 3 of the U-SQL Stairway, we look at how multiple files can be processed with a single U-SQL statement.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 4: U-SQL and Data Lake Tooling with Visual Studio

  A guide to using Visual Studio to create U-SQL projects and scripts.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 5: Databases and Tables in Azure Data Lakes with U-SQL

  A guide to using databases, schemas and tables in Azure Data Lakes, using (of course!) U-SQL.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 6: U-SQL Indexes and Partition Schemes

  Find out how to speed up your queries by indexing and partitioning data, U-SQL style.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 7: More Partition Schemes

  Following on from our previous introduction to indexes and partition schemes, we review the distribution schemes used by horizontal partitioning.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 8: Joining Tables in U-SQL

  U-SQL provides a number of ways to join data sources together. This articles introduces the joins available and how you can use them.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 9: Views and C# Expressions

  Learn how U-SQL views can hide complexity and use C# expressions, providing powerful ways to format and return your data.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 10: Table-Valued Functions and UDTs

  Table-Valued Functions and User-Defined Types can help you write parameterised U-SQL views in an elegant manner. They also aid code reuse.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 11: Stored Procedures

  To finish off our look at the core database objects, we inspect how the venerable stored procedure works in U-SQL.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 12: SQL.ARRAY and CROSS APPLY EXPLODE

  U-SQL introduces two new data types - SQL.ARRAY and SQL.MAP. Here, we look at what we can do with SQL.ARRAY and the CROSS APPLY EXPLODE expression.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 13: SQL.MAP

  We met SQL.ARRAY in the last step. Now say hello to SQL.MAP, which can store pairs of values.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 14: Local U-SQL Scalar Functions with C#

  Learn how U-SQL leverages C# to support flexible scalar functions in your scripts.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 15: U-SQL Global Scalar Functions With C#

  In this article, see how to created shared functions using C# assemblies in U-SQL.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 16: The Azure Data Lake Catalog

  Delve behind the scenes and learn about the catalog used to manage Azure Data Lakes.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 17: Executing U-SQL Jobs with PowerShell

  Automate your Data Lake with PowerShell! Learn how PowerShell can be used to execute U-SQL scripts, as well as a few other little tricks.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 18: Populating a Data Lake with PowerShell

  Learn how PowerShell can be used to manage files and folders in your Data Lake.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 19: Azure Data Lake Metadata with PowerShell

  Need to inspect your Data Lake objects and files? Want to automate the process? Find out how with PowerShell.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 20: Querying External Data with U-SQL

  Did you know you can query SQL Server data with U-SQL? It's true! Find out how in this latest stairway step.

• Stairway to U-SQL Level 21: Exporting Data with Azure Data Factory

  Learn how you can move data from your Data Lake to Azure SQL Database with Azure Data Factory.