Model and optimize data storage. Master database design through bite-sized, swipeable learning tiles — designed for busy people who want to learn on the go.
This Database Design short course on SkillTiles breaks down everything you need to know into 10 structured milestones, each packed with bite-sized learning tiles you can swipe through in under 15 seconds each.
Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to refresh your knowledge, this online database design course uses AI-powered content to adapt to your learning pace. Each tile delivers a focused concept, example, or quiz — making it perfect for commutes, coffee breaks, or quick study sessions.
Covering 70 key topics across 10 milestones, this course takes you from foundations to practical application. Earn badges as you complete each milestone and track your progress on your learning dashboard.
Course Curriculum
1
Database Fundamentals
SQL vs NoSQL, normalization, and indexing
relational vs document databasesnormalization (1NF, 2NF, 3NF)primary and foreign keysindexing for performanceSQL vs NoSQL trade-offsACID propertiesdatabase scaling basics
2
Database Concepts
Core database principles
what is a databaseDBMS typesrelational modeldata vs informationdatabase use casesstructured vs unstructured datadatabase terminology
3
SQL Fundamentals
Query and manipulate data
SELECT statementsWHERE clausesORDER BY and LIMITINSERT, UPDATE, DELETEaggregate functionsGROUP BY and HAVINGJOINs (INNER, LEFT, RIGHT)
4
Database Design
Model data effectively
entity-relationship diagramstables and relationshipsprimary and foreign keysone-to-many relationshipsmany-to-many relationshipsnormalization (1NF, 2NF, 3NF)denormalization trade-offs
5
Indexing & Performance
Make queries fast
what are indexesB-tree indexescomposite indexesquery execution plansEXPLAIN analysisquery optimizationindex maintenance
6
NoSQL Databases
Beyond relational
document databases (MongoDB)key-value stores (Redis)column-family (Cassandra)graph databases (Neo4j)CAP theoremeventual consistencywhen to use NoSQL