Yes. All 48 core lessons, the daily challenge, and accounts with cloud-saved progress are completely free. Three optional expansions are planned — SQL Server (64 lessons, 8 acts), MySQL (48 lessons, 6 acts), and PostgreSQL (24 lessons, 3 acts) — the only paid content.

Do I need to install anything to learn SQL with SQL Quest?

No. SQL Quest runs entirely in your browser using a real SQLite engine compiled to WebAssembly. There is nothing to install and no database to set up.

Does SQL Quest use real SQL or drag-and-drop blocks?

Real SQL. The editor starts blank on every lesson and you type every keyword yourself. Your queries execute against an actual database and the results drive the story.

What SQL topics does SQL Quest cover?

SELECT, column aliases, WHERE, AND/OR/NOT, LIKE, IN, BETWEEN, ORDER BY, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, DISTINCT, aggregate functions, GROUP BY, HAVING, CASE, string functions, subqueries, INNER JOIN, LEFT JOIN, self-joins, UNION, COALESCE and NULL handling, date functions, CTEs, and window functions including ROW_NUMBER, RANK, and running totals.

Is SQL Quest good for complete beginners?

Yes. It starts from the very first SELECT statement and unlocks lessons linearly, so each concept builds on the last. Hints are available on every lesson, and errors are explained in plain language rather than raw database errors.

SQL Quest: Learn SQL by Playing a Fantasy RPG

id	name	class	level
1	Aldric	Mage	12
2	Seraphina	Rogue	15
3	Theron	Warrior	9
+ 3 more rows

Kingdom of Data

Each location unlocks only after the last. The path forward is earned, not chosen.

0 / 0

Act II · Alliance Bridge · Lesson 13 of 14

Act II4 / 11

SPELL: WHERE

Filter rows before returning them.

SELECT ...
FROM table_name
WHERE col = 'value';

Act II · Lesson 13

Alliance Bridge — INNER JOIN

The Kingdom census and the Guild Registry have never spoken. Heroes wander guildless; guilds list phantom members. Build a bridge.

Mission: Return each hero's name and their guild's name (as guild_name) for every sworn member.

CONCEPTS

INNER JOINONtable aliases

Data Mage bonus active: The FK join key row in the schema is highlighted. GROUP BY errors will show your expected vs actual column list.

Schema

2 tables

heroes

guilds

quests

Sample data

PKidINT

nameVARCHAR(100)

classVARCHAR(50)

levelINT

hpINT

FKguild_idINT → guilds.id★ join key

goldINT

Hints

Which column connects heroes to guilds? Look at the highlighted FK row in the schema.

Your ON clause: heroes.guild_id = guilds.id

SELECT h.name, g.name AS guild_name FROM heroes h INNER JOIN guilds g ON h.guild_id = g.id;

Write a JOIN query to build the Alliance Bridge and reveal the sworn heroes.

Standard SQL · T-SQL compatible

1

● Ready

Results

Messages

Run your query to see results here.

★★★

Alliance Bridge rises! Lesson complete.

+350 XP +80 gold Join Knight title

SQL Reference — Documentation

A searchable syntax reference for everything taught in SQL Quest: syntax, a kingdom-themed example, common mistakes, and a practice challenge for every entry. The same reference whether you're on the free tier or own an expansion.

SQL REFERENCE — DOCUMENTATION

Free — Standard SQL

SELECT

WHERE

ORDER BY

DISTINCT

LIMIT / TOP

LIKE & Wildcards

IN & BETWEEN

NULL & COALESCE

CASE Expressions

Aggregate Functions

INSERT

UPDATE

DELETE

JOINs

GROUP BY & HAVING

Subqueries

EXISTS & NOT EXISTS

Self-Joins

UNION & UNION ALL

CTEs

Window Functions

Date Functions

String Functions

UPSERT

Transactions

SQL Server DLC

DMVs

Wait Statistics

Blocking

Deadlocks

Instance & DB Config

Extended Events

Recovery Models

BACKUP DATABASE/LOG

Point-in-Time Restore

Clustered/Nonclustered Indexes

Missing & Unused Indexes

Statistics

Execution Plans

Isolation Levels

TempDB

SQL Agent Jobs

HADR (AlwaysOn/etc)

Logins, Users & Roles

Encryption (TDE)

Data Compression

Table Partitioning

Linked Servers

Temp Tables

Triggers

Dynamic SQL

T-SQL Dates

Stored Procedures

TRY/CATCH

MySQL DLC

LIMIT / OFFSET

AUTO_INCREMENT

Storage Engines

GRANT & user@host

EXPLAIN

Indexes & Leftmost Prefix

Slow Query Log

InnoDB Buffer Pool

mysqldump

Replication

Stored Procedures

Character Sets & Collation

Daily & Practice

A fresh challenge every day, plus endless practice by difficulty and topic. Real SQL, real results.

DAY 42 · INTERMEDIATE · LEFT JOIN

The Guildless Heroes

★★☆

Find every hero whose guild_id is NULL. Return name, class, and level. Order by level descending.

LEFT JOIN / IS NULL+400 XP+120 goldNo-hint bonus: +100

Resets in 08:41:22

Daily streak: 0 days

0 solved today

Kingdom Schema

▲ hide

SQLite dialect

Today's Leaderboard

0 players

#	Hero	Time	Hints	XP
Loading today's leaderboard…

WEEKLY CUP

The Query Gauntlet

Every Daily you solve this week adds its XP to your Cup total. Most cumulative XP by Sunday midnight UTC wins the week — solve every day to actually compete, since one big score can't beat seven small ones.

Week resets in —

0 in the Cup this week

This Week's Standings

XP, cumulative since Monday

#	Hero	Days Played	Total Time	Total XP
Loading this week's standings…

Settings

Appearance

Dark mode

Easier on the eyes during late-night quests.

Editor font size

Applies to the SQL editors.

Gameplay

Guard destructive queries

Block DELETE or UPDATE with no WHERE clause.

Auto-format SQL on run

Tidy your query each time you run it.

Language · שפה

English

Menus and screens change language. SQL keywords stay in English — that is how the language actually works.

Account & data

Your account

Not signed in

Certificates

Add earned certificates to LinkedIn.

Save history

Restore an earlier version of your hero from the cloud.

Reset all progress

Wipes your hero, lessons, feats and gold. Cannot be undone.

Public Profile

Share your profile

A public page with your rank, completed acts, and certificates — link it on a resume or LinkedIn.

About

SQL Quest

48 free lessons · real SQLite in your browser · sqlquest.dev

Articles

Deep dives on the SQL bugs everyone hits eventually.

Read

Create Your Hero

Your class gives a real, permanent +30% XP and gold on one family of lessons. Pick the material you most want rewarded — you will see the bonus fire on every matching lesson.

Data Mage

+30% on JOIN lessons

+30% XP and gold on every JOIN lesson
Hints cost 5 XP less than for anyone else
Best if you want to master relationships between tables

SQL Knight

+30% on write lessons

+30% XP and gold on INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE
Also covers transactions and UPSERT
Best if you want to change data, not just read it

Query Ranger

+30% on filter lessons

+30% XP and gold on WHERE, LIKE, ORDER BY
The bread and butter of every real query
Best if you want precision on large tables

Data Druid

+30% on NULL lessons

+30% XP and gold on NULL and subquery lessons
Covers EXISTS, COALESCE, LEFT JOIN gaps
Best if you want to tame missing data

Alchemist

+30% on aggregate lessons

+30% XP and gold on aggregates and GROUP BY
Covers COUNT, SUM, AVG, HAVING, DISTINCT
Best if you want to turn rows into answers

Chronomancer

+30% on time lessons

+30% XP and gold on dates, CTEs and window functions
The advanced end of the curriculum
Best if you want the hardest material to pay most

✓ Data Mage selected. These bonuses will be active throughout your entire playthrough.

Learn SQL.Save the Kingdom.

Learn SQL.
Save the Kingdom.