Course/Module 1/Topic 2 of 4Beginner

Your First SELECT Query

SELECT is the most important SQL command. It retrieves data from a table. Learn SELECT, FROM, WHERE, and ORDER BY. This is a foundational concept in database management and queries that professional developers rely on daily. The explanations below are written to be beginner-friendly while covering the depth and nuance that comes from real-world SQL experience. Take your time with each section and practice the examples

20 min•By Priygop Team•Last updated: Feb 2026

The SELECT Statement

SELECT is used to retrieve data from a database table. It is the most frequently used SQL command. The basic syntax is: SELECT columns FROM table. Use * to select all columns. Use WHERE to filter rows. Use ORDER BY to sort results.

SELECT Syntax

SELECT * FROM table — Get all columns and all rows
SELECT col1, col2 FROM table — Get specific columns
WHERE condition — Filter rows (like an if statement)
ORDER BY column ASC/DESC — Sort results
LIMIT n — Return only first n rows
DISTINCT — Remove duplicate values
SQL keywords are NOT case-sensitive (select = SELECT)

SELECT Examples

Example

-- Get all students
SELECT * FROM students;

-- Get only name and age columns
SELECT name, age FROM students;

-- Get students from Mumbai only
SELECT * FROM students
WHERE city = 'Mumbai';

-- Get students older than 20, sorted by age
SELECT name, age FROM students
WHERE age > 20
ORDER BY age ASC;

-- Get only the first 2 results
SELECT * FROM students
LIMIT 2;

-- Get unique cities (no duplicates)
SELECT DISTINCT city FROM students;

Try It Yourself: SELECT Queries

Try It Yourself: SELECT QueriesJavaScript

JavaScript Editor

✓ ValidTab = 2 spaces

// Simulating SQL SELECT queries in JavaScript

const students = [
  { id: 1, name: "Alice",   age: 20, city: "Mumbai",    grade: "A" },
  { id: 2, name: "Bob",     age: 22, city: "Delhi",     grade: "B" },
  { id: 3, name: "Charlie", age: 19, city: "Bangalore", grade: "A" },
  { id: 4, name: "Diana",   age: 21, city: "Mumbai",    grade: "C" },
  { id: 5, name: "Eve",     age: 20, city: "Delhi",     grade: "A" },
];

// SELECT * FROM students
console.log("All students:", students.length);

// SELECT * FROM students WHERE city = 'Mumbai'
const mumbai = students.filter(s => s.city === "Mumbai");
console.log("\nMumbai students:");
mumbai.forEach(s => console.log(" -", s.name, "(age", s.age + ")"));

// SELECT * FROM students WHERE age > 20 ORDER BY age
const older = students.filter(s => s.age > 20).sort((a,b) => a.age - b.age);
console.log("\nStudents older than 20:");
older.forEach(s => console.log(" -", s.name, "age:", s.age));

// SELECT DISTINCT city FROM students
const cities = [...new Set(students.map(s => s.city))];
console.log("\nUnique cities:", cities.join(", "));

// Simulating SQL SELECT queries in JavaScript

const students = [
  { id: 1, name: "Alice",   age: 20, city: "Mumbai",    grade: "A" },
  { id: 2, name: "Bob",     age: 22, city: "Delhi",     grade: "B" },
  { id: 3, name: "Charlie", age: 19, city: "Bangalore", grade: "A" },
  { id: 4, name: "Diana",   age: 21, city: "Mumbai",    grade: "C" },
  { id: 5, name: "Eve",     age: 20, city: "Delhi",     grade: "A" },
];

// SELECT * FROM students
console.log("All students:", students.length);

// SELECT * FROM students WHERE city = 'Mumbai'
const mumbai = students.filter(s => s.city === "Mumbai");
console.log("\nMumbai students:");
mumbai.forEach(s => console.log(" -", s.name, "(age", s.age + ")"));

// SELECT * FROM students WHERE age > 20 ORDER BY age
const older = students.filter(s => s.age > 20).sort((a,b) => a.age - b.age);
console.log("\nStudents older than 20:");
older.forEach(s => console.log(" -", s.name, "age:", s.age));

// SELECT DISTINCT city FROM students
const cities = [...new Set(students.map(s => s.city))];
console.log("\nUnique cities:", cities.join(", "));

Result

Click ▶ Run to see the result

Edit the code on the left, then click Run

JavaScript|26 lines|1087 chars|✓ Valid syntax

UTF-8

Quick Quiz

Topics in This Module

Course/Module 1/Topic 2 of 4Beginner

Your First SELECT Query

20 min•By Priygop Team•Last updated: Feb 2026

The SELECT Statement

SELECT Syntax

SELECT * FROM table — Get all columns and all rows
SELECT col1, col2 FROM table — Get specific columns
WHERE condition — Filter rows (like an if statement)
ORDER BY column ASC/DESC — Sort results
LIMIT n — Return only first n rows
DISTINCT — Remove duplicate values
SQL keywords are NOT case-sensitive (select = SELECT)

SELECT Examples

Example

-- Get all students
SELECT * FROM students;

-- Get only name and age columns
SELECT name, age FROM students;

-- Get students from Mumbai only
SELECT * FROM students
WHERE city = 'Mumbai';

-- Get students older than 20, sorted by age
SELECT name, age FROM students
WHERE age > 20
ORDER BY age ASC;

-- Get only the first 2 results
SELECT * FROM students
LIMIT 2;

-- Get unique cities (no duplicates)
SELECT DISTINCT city FROM students;

Try It Yourself: SELECT Queries

Try It Yourself: SELECT QueriesJavaScript

JavaScript Editor

✓ ValidTab = 2 spaces

// Simulating SQL SELECT queries in JavaScript

const students = [
  { id: 1, name: "Alice",   age: 20, city: "Mumbai",    grade: "A" },
  { id: 2, name: "Bob",     age: 22, city: "Delhi",     grade: "B" },
  { id: 3, name: "Charlie", age: 19, city: "Bangalore", grade: "A" },
  { id: 4, name: "Diana",   age: 21, city: "Mumbai",    grade: "C" },
  { id: 5, name: "Eve",     age: 20, city: "Delhi",     grade: "A" },
];

// SELECT * FROM students
console.log("All students:", students.length);

// SELECT * FROM students WHERE city = 'Mumbai'
const mumbai = students.filter(s => s.city === "Mumbai");
console.log("\nMumbai students:");
mumbai.forEach(s => console.log(" -", s.name, "(age", s.age + ")"));

// SELECT * FROM students WHERE age > 20 ORDER BY age
const older = students.filter(s => s.age > 20).sort((a,b) => a.age - b.age);
console.log("\nStudents older than 20:");
older.forEach(s => console.log(" -", s.name, "age:", s.age));

// SELECT DISTINCT city FROM students
const cities = [...new Set(students.map(s => s.city))];
console.log("\nUnique cities:", cities.join(", "));

// Simulating SQL SELECT queries in JavaScript

// SELECT * FROM students
console.log("All students:", students.length);

// SELECT DISTINCT city FROM students
const cities = [...new Set(students.map(s => s.city))];
console.log("\nUnique cities:", cities.join(", "));

Result

Click ▶ Run to see the result

Edit the code on the left, then click Run

JavaScript|26 lines|1087 chars|✓ Valid syntax

UTF-8

Quick Quiz

Topics in This Module

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