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Database Design for Beginners

Design databases that don't become a mess — the skill behind every app, dashboard and backend job.

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About this course

Learn to design clean, reliable databases the way working developers do: tables, keys and relationships, normalisation, data types and constraints, real SQL (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE and JOINs), and when to reach for SQL versus NoSQL. By the end you will design a full schema for a real app (a shop or school) and write five useful SQL queries — the exact proof that lands backend, data and remote developer work paid in naira and dollars.

A database is the organised store at the heart of nearly every app — and someone has to design it so it does not lose data or turn into a mess. That designer is what you are becoming.

What you'll learn

Course syllabus — 7 lessons

  1. What a database is and why this skill pays12 min
  2. Tables, rows, columns and keys: the building blocks13 min
  3. Relationships: one-to-many, many-to-many and how to connect tables13 min
  4. Data types and constraints: rules that keep data clean13 min
  5. Normalisation: splitting data so it never becomes a mess13 min
  6. Writing SQL: SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE14 min
  7. JOINs, plus SQL vs NoSQL: bringing it together and choosing your tool14 min

Your project

Design a Database Schema and Write 5 Useful SQL Queries

A shared link (Google Doc, GitHub README, Notion, or dbdiagram.io) containing: a short app description, a schema of at least 4 tables with data types and key constraints, clearly marked relationships including at least one many-to-many junction table, and 5 working SQL queries (with a SELECT+WHERE, an INSERT, an UPDATE/DELETE with WHERE, and a JOIN), each explained in plain English.

Certificates on Skillnaija are earned, not issued for attendance: you submit this project, it is graded against a rubric, and passing issues a certificate anyone can verify.

Frequently asked questions

Is Database Design for Beginners free?

Yes. Database Design for Beginners is completely free on Skillnaija. You need a free account to open the lessons, and there is no charge for the course, the project, or the certificate.

How long does Database Design for Beginners take to complete?

5 weeks · ~4 hrs/week. There are 7 lessons, about 2 hours of material in total. You learn at your own pace and your progress is saved.

Do I need any experience to start Database Design for Beginners?

Beginner-friendly. You can start from scratch — no prior experience is assumed.

What will I learn in Database Design for Beginners?

You will build practical skills in Relational thinking: tables, rows, columns, keys, Primary and foreign keys and relationships, Normalisation to remove duplication and mess, Choosing data types and constraints, Writing SQL — SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, JOIN, Designing a schema for a real app, Knowing when to use SQL vs NoSQL. Every lesson is written for a Nigerian context, with examples drawn from how the work is actually done and paid for here.

Do I get a certificate for Database Design for Beginners?

Yes, but it has to be earned. You complete the course project — Design a Database Schema and Write 5 Useful SQL Queries and submit it for grading. Passing the project issues a verifiable certificate; finishing the lessons alone does not.

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It's free, it's self-paced, and it ends with something you can show an employer.

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