Databases: Introduction to Relational Databases
This course provides a general introduction to databases, and introduces the popular relational data model. It is an introductory course in a series of self-paced courses focusing on databases and related technology, and based on “Databases”, one of Stanford's three inaugural massive open online courses released in the fall of 2011.
Please see the “What you will learn” section below for course grouping by area and suggested pathways. As of April 2020 we are still adding courses to edX; we expect this process to complete by early May 2020.

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Frequently asked questions
How long will it take to go through the course material?
All courses in the Databases series are self-paced and include videos, quizzes, and/or exercises. The courses vary considerably in length and complexity, and some students work faster than others, so we're not able to predict an individual time commitment.
What background do I need?
The series of courses does not assume prior knowledge of any specific topics, however a solid computer science foundation -- a reasonable amount of programming, as well as knowledge of basic computer science theory -- will make the material more accessible.
Do I need to buy a textbook?
Detailed lecture notes are provided. Having a textbook in addition to the notes is not necessary, but you might want to purchase one for reference, to reinforce the core material, and as a source of additional exercises. Suggested textbooks and readings are listed as part of the materials.