Become a SQL Scientist: Explore Every Layer of Table Metadata in SQL Server

To master SQL Server, you should understand your database in a layered, structured way. This guide explores five levels of table understanding in SQL Server, from basic to expert. Level one covers column structure and defaults using `INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS`. Level two delves into indexes, keys, and foreign key relationships using `sys.indexes` and related views. Advanced understanding in level three includes triggers, dependencies, and statistics accessed via `sys.dm_sql_*` and `sys.stats`. Level four focuses on storage, compression, and permissions, leveraging views like `sys.filegroups` and `sys.permissions`. At the master level, a custom stored procedure consolidates all metadata into a dashboard for a comprehensive view. Understanding tables like this is valuable for auditing, analysis, migrations, and developer onboarding. Treat SQL as a microscope to explore your schema effectively. This approach facilitates writing better queries and understanding schema architecture.