SQL Server/Azure SQLDB, Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL, the big players in the relational database game, each with its own features and strengths, different as night and day, or are they? To be sure, all four are different, all four really do have features that set them apart from each other. However, when it comes to their primary feature/function the ability to store data and allow you to access it, they all have a lot on common. They are all based on the relational database work of Edgar Codd and while each uses their own dialect, the query language is based on ANSI Standard SQL. While there are stark differences in each implementation of the querying language, this session ill focus on the intersection between those languages. Specifically, we will start with a brief look at the concept of relational databases, then look at some ways you can write better queries to retrieve the data you need a bit faster.