As a database developer, one of the common questions asked is “where can I get sample data to practice with?”
Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or even an expert SQL developer, there is a high chance you have used the famous AdventureWorks database.
I have compiled a list of sample databases and their download links below:
1. AdventureWorks Sample Databases:
The AdventureWorks sample OLTP database is available in different versions. They have the 2008, 2008R2, 2012 and 2014 version for download. It’s about 40MB in size. You can download a backup of this database and restore on your SQL Server Management Studio. It’s the most popular.
Download Link: https://msftdbprodsamples.codeplex.com/releases/view/93587
2. AdventureWorks Sample Data Warehouse:
The AdventureWorks sample Data Warehouse database is available in different versions. They have the 2008, 2008R2, 2012 and 2014 version for download. It’s a sample data warehouse where you can use to practice business intelligence concepts. You can even build an SSAS cube based on this database. You can download a backup of this database and restore on your SQL Server Management Studio.
Download Link: https://msftdbprodsamples.codeplex.com/releases/view/105902
3. Northwind Database:
The northwind database was common with SQL Server 2000. They have the 2000, 2005 and 2008 version. It is also a good OLTP sample database. It’s about 300KB so it’s not as big as the adventureworks database. You can download a backup of this database and restore on your SQL Server Management Studio.
Download Link: http://northwinddatabase.codeplex.com/
4. StackOverFlow:
This one is my favorite. The popular StackOverFlow has made a dump of all their data online. The latest version is about 110GB. They also have smaller ones between 70GB and 95GB. This database is very good for practicing performance tuning, indexing, and query optimization. Basically this is a true test of heavy data. I love it.
You can find this on Brent Ozar’s blog:
Download Link: https://www.brentozar.com/archive/2015/10/how-to-download-the-stack-overflow-database-via-bittorrent/
5. Red Gate Data Generator:
Red Gate makes a data generator which you can use to generate millions of rows of data across multiple tables.
I would love to hear from you if there are other suggestions of databases that can be useful for SQL developers to practice their skills with. I believe this would help someone out there.
Thanks for reading
