Database Design for Mere Mortals: A Hands-On Guide to Relational Database Design

How to Read This Book

I strongly recommend that you read this book in sequence from beginning to end, regardless of whether you are a novice or a professional. You'll keep everything in context this way and avoid the confusion that generally comes from being unable to see the "big picture" first. It's also a good idea to learn the process as a whole before you begin to focus on any one part.

If you are reading this book to refresh your design skills, you could read just those sections that are of interest to you. As much as possible, I've tried to write each chapter so that it could stand on its own; nonetheless, I would still recommend that you glance through each of the chapters to make sure that you're not missing any new ideas or points on design that you may not have considered up to now.