U-SQL

U-SQL, often pronounced “you-sequel,” is a programming language used for querying and operating on data. Developed by Microsoft, U-SQL is best suited for handling massive datasets beyond the size of what traditional relational databases can handle.

What is U-SQL?

Microsoft describes U-SQL as an advanced query language that is designed for big data. To glean insights in the era of big data, companies need ways to efficiently query massive datasets stored in a distributed fashion across multiple servers. U-SQL, an extension of SQL, provides that capability but also adds the ability to manage these massive datasets stored in Azure Data Lake Storage.

Why Learn U-SQL?

Big data is all around us and with the rise of IoT, streaming data, and social media, the amount of data companies have to analyze is going to continue to grow. The right approach to big data strategy can lead to positive business outcomes. U-SQL allows data scientists, data engineers, and developers to organize and analyze big data in order to improve data-driven decision making throughout the enterprise. By learning U-SQL, you have the ability to use that foundational SQL knowledge to unlock the insights hidden in big data.

How Online Courses Can Help

With many resources to choose from, online courses can provide an overview of U-SQL, but also provide more hands-on tutorials and exercises to help you ingrain the concepts. For example, some of the resources listed explore using U-SQL with Microsoft Azure Data Lake, which can sometimes be an important use case for those seeking to learn the language.

Careers That Use U-SQL

U-SQL is one of several tools data scientists, engineers, and developers can use to query and manipulate big data. Companies of all sizes use big data analytics to make informed decisions and stay competitive, so there are many career paths that leverage U-SQL.

Benefits

The benefits of learning and eventually mastering U-SQL typically fall into two main categories: career and personal.

• Career benefits fall into the data management category and include a better understanding of data management and big data analytics, as well as on-paper experience.

• Personal benefits include the ability to parse and think through complex data sets, to form your own data-driven conclusions, and to communicate insights that can inform your own personal decision making.

Ultimately, learning U-SQL can help you in your career and personal life.

Personal Traits of Successful U-SQL Programmers

• Attention to detail is important not only for success in U-SQL, but any career that involves data.

• Problem-solving ability is essential because U-SQL programmers need to be able to apply their knowledge of the language to solve real-world problems.

• Teamwork skills are important because U-SQL programmers may need to work with other programmers to develop and implement data solutions.

• Communication skills are important because U-SQL programmers may need to explain their work to other programmers, business stakeholders, and end users.

Is an Online Course Enough?

Online courses are a great way to learn U-SQL, but they are not enough to gain professional proficiency with the language. To become proficient in U-SQL, you need to practice writing code and working with real-world data. There are many online courses that can help you get started with U-SQL, such as the ones mentioned in the introduction. However, you will also need to find opportunities to practice writing code and working with real-world data.

Relevant Projects

Projects that can help you learn U-SQL may be focused on analyzing datasets in the cloud, aggregating data from various sources, and analyzing social media data.

• Analyzing datasets in the cloud involves using U-SQL to query and analyze data stored in Azure Data Lake Storage.

• Aggregating data from various sources involves using U-SQL to combine data from multiple sources into a single dataset.

• Analyzing social media data involves using U-SQL to query and analyze data from social media platforms, such as Twitter.