For Students
SQL and Database Problems in the UptoSkills Arena
Practice real SQL against a live database, right in the browser — 60+ problems from SELECT basics to window functions, with queries written in MySQL syntax automatically understood.
Updated 21 Oct 2026
Short answer: The Arena's Database tab has 60+ SQL problems — real tables, real data, your query actually runs. You can write it the way you'd write MySQL (backticks, LIMIT a, b, IFNULL, date functions and more) and it still works.
Where to find them
On the Arena page, switch from All problems to Database (next to Coding). You'll see everything from a one-table SELECT to multi-join reporting queries with window functions, grouped by difficulty — Easy, Medium and Hard.
Why one engine, not three
Under the hood every SQL problem runs on the same engine (PostgreSQL), so every hidden test behaves identically for every submission — that's what makes the judging fair. Most people learn SQL on MySQL syntax, though, so UptoSkills translates common MySQL-isms before your query runs:
| You can write… | And it's understood as… |
|---|---|
| Backtick-quoted identifiers | Standard double-quoted identifiers |
LIMIT 10, 20 | LIMIT 20 OFFSET 10 |
IFNULL(x, y) | COALESCE(x, y) |
CURDATE(), YEAR(), MONTH(), DAY(), HOUR(), MINUTE(), DAYOFWEEK() | The matching PostgreSQL date functions |
DATEDIFF(a, b), DATE_FORMAT(...) | Their PostgreSQL equivalents |
UCASE() / LCASE() | UPPER() / LOWER() |
GROUP_CONCAT(col) | STRING_AGG(col, ',') |
You don't need to think about any of this — write the query the way you normally would, and if something doesn't translate cleanly the judge's error message tells you exactly what to change.
What you get on the problem page
- A schema and sample rows for every table involved
- Example input/output so you can sanity-check your query before submitting
- Hidden tests against the real dataset — same rules as coding problems: Pro gets every hint and the editorial, free gets the first hint
- XP and Aura exactly as for any other Arena problem, by difficulty and whether it's a daily, weekly, monthly or practice-library problem
Common questions
Do I need to know PostgreSQL specifically?
No. Write standard SQL or MySQL-style SQL — both work. Stick to SELECT/JOIN/GROUP BY/window functions and you won't notice the difference.
Can I practice SQL without it affecting my Arena rank?
Yes — the practice library's database problems pay XP but not Aura and don't count toward your Arena rank, same as the coding practice library.
What if my query works in MySQL Workbench but fails here?
Check the error message first — it names the specific syntax that didn't translate. Most MySQL queries run unchanged; the rare edge cases are usually vendor-specific functions outside the common list above.
Try a database problem → UptoSkills Arena (switch to the Database tab)