Notes
Hi!
This past week was focused on relational algebra and different types of Python methods. We also started part two of the integrated database project. I spent a lot of time reading and practicing these topics. I learned about how databases work and how to organize code.
We completed Exercise 6 and Exercise 7. These exercises were about the Select and Project operations. Select is an operation used to filter rows from a table. It uses a condition to decide which rows to keep. Project is an operation used to filter columns from a table. It takes a list of columns to include in the result. I found that these operations are basic but important. They are the foundation of querying data in a database. Understanding these operations helped me see how data is manipulated. It was interesting to see how simple rules can create complex results.
We talked about three different types of methods in Python. These are instance methods, static methods, and class methods. An instance method uses the self parameter. It can access and change data on an instance of a class. A static method does not use self or cls. It behaves like a normal function but is inside a class. A class method uses the cls parameter. It can access and change data that belongs to the class itself. I understood instance methods before, but seeing how class methods work was helpful. It is useful to know when to use each one. This knowledge makes my code more organized and clear.
My pick of the week is DB Browser for SQLite. It is a free tool for viewing and editing SQLite database files. It has a simple interface and makes it easy to test queries. You can see your data in a table format and run SQL commands. It is very helpful for debugging and learning.
Thanks for reading! Hopefully you all have a great spring break and I’ll see y’all again soon!