Yes. All 32 core lessons, the daily challenge, and accounts with cloud-saved progress are completely free. An optional SQL Server expansion is planned as 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

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

Each costs XP · Mage gets −5

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

📊 Progress Dashboard

Your journey through the Kingdom of Data.

18

Lessons done

↑ +3 this week

3,240

Total XP

↑ +480 today

94%

Accuracy

↑ from 88%

41

Queries run

↑ +6 today

3🔥

Streak

Best: 9 days

1,480g

Gold

↑ +120 today

📚 Lesson History

#	Location	Topic	Stars	XP	Status
1	Query Village	SELECT all	⭐⭐⭐	150	Mastered
2	Village Square	Columns & AS	⭐⭐⭐	160	Mastered
3	City Gates	WHERE	⭐⭐⭐	175	Mastered
4	Logic Labyrinth	AND/OR/NOT	⭐⭐	140	Learned
9	Cursed Archive	DELETE	⭐	110	Learned
10	Goblin Siege	DISTINCT + boss	⭐⭐⭐	300	Mastered
12	Guild Council	GROUP BY/HAVING	⭐	130	Learned
13	Alliance Bridge	INNER JOIN	—	—	In progress

💪 Weak Points

DELETE without WHERE ⚠

2 incidents. Always filter your deletes.

Hint usage on JOINs

Used hints on 2 of 3 JOIN exercises.

🏰 SQL Server DLC

Finish Acts II & III to unlock Act IV — stored procedures, indexes, TRY/CATCH, and more.

Act II progress: 4 / 11 complete

SQL REFERENCE

Free — Standard SQL

SELECT

WHERE

ORDER BY

INSERT

UPDATE

DELETE

JOINs

GROUP BY

CTEs

Window Fns

Transactions

DLC — SQL Server

🔒 T-SQL Dates

🔒 Stored Procs

🔒 TRY/CATCH

⚡ 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

SQLite dialect

🏆 Today's Leaderboard

0 players

#	Hero	Time	Hints	XP
Loading today's leaderboard…

⚙️ Settings

🎨 Appearance

Dark mode

Easier on the eyes during late-night quests.

SQL syntax highlighting

Line numbers

Editor font size

⚔️ Gameplay

Warn on destructive queries

Confirm before DELETE/UPDATE without WHERE.

Auto-format SQL on run

Row limit per query

🔔 Notifications

Daily challenge reminder

Streak warning

Alert when your streak is about to break.

🗑️ Data

Reset all progress

Cannot be undone.

⚔️ Create Your Hero

Your class changes real gameplay — concrete passive bonuses that affect every lesson. Choose the one that matches how you want to learn SQL.

🧙

Data Mage

Passive bonuses

FK join key glows in schema on JOIN lessons
GROUP BY errors show expected vs actual columns
Reference library auto-opens per lesson
−5 XP hint discount · ×2 mastery XP

⚔️

SQL Knight

Passive bonuses

+20% gold on INSERT and UPDATE lessons
Dangerous queries show a shield warning instead of error
6 equipment slots instead of 5
Bonus star for CRUD lessons on first attempt

🏹

Query Ranger

Passive bonuses

Exact WHERE row count = +1 accuracy star
LIKE and IN lessons give double XP
Each correct result row gets a ✓ checkmark
Miss 1 day per week without breaking streak

🌿

Data Druid

Passive bonuses

JOIN lessons show a live table connection diagram
LEFT JOIN: ghost heroes appear for NULL rows
NULL handling lessons give double XP
+15% XP on all subquery lessons

⚗️

Alchemist

Passive bonuses

Aggregates show a before/after GROUP BY diff panel
DISTINCT shows duplicates visually before removal
+20% XP on aggregate and GROUP BY lessons
Bonus gold for most efficient query (fewest chars)

⏳

Chronomancer

Passive bonuses

Date/time lessons give +25% XP
Window function frame highlighted in results
CTE lessons unlock 1 free extra named expression
Transactions show a BEGIN/COMMIT/ROLLBACK timeline

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

Learn SQL.Save the Kingdom.

Learn SQL.
Save the Kingdom.