Relational databases are the foundation of many of the applications developers build every day, but they are much more than tables and rows. In this session, we will introduce the core concepts behind relational database systems, including tables, columns, relationships, views, indexes, computed values, procedures, parameters, and functions. We will also look at more advanced capabilities such as materialized views, temporal tables, memory-optimized tables, performance tuning, scale, cost, and built-in database features that help applications grow.

You will leave with a practical understanding of what relational databases are, how they work, and why they remain one of the most important tools for building reliable, secure, and scalable applications.

1. Understand the core building blocks of relational databases, including tables, columns, relationships, views, indexes, procedures, and functions.
2. Learn how relational database features support performance, scale, security, cost control, and application reliability.
3. Explore modern database developer capabilities, including tools, drivers, libraries, endpoints, engines, and recent innovations that make relational databases easier to use in modern applications.