I’m new to Oracle, and I need a database…help!

Updated 8 June 2026

You’ve decided you want to learn more about data, databases, and of course, SQL! Did you know that Oracle provides many free platforms you can use to practice your killer SELECT * skills?

It’s also quite likely Oracle has been chosen for you, via your university or school curriculum. If you’re lucky, they have a database you can use, but in many cases you’re expected to create your own.

Have no fear! You can and WILL be ‘up and running,’ in just a few minutes? So let’s take that red pill, jump into the Oracle!

Easiest ways to get started on Oracle

1. FreeSQL.com

FreeSQL is a hosted environment where you can submit your SQL and PL/SQL calls in a browser, we run those for you in an Oracle Database, and give you the results.

Zero configuration is required. If you want to CREATE your own tables and INSERT data, you only need to sign-up for a free (Oracle.com) account.

FreeSQL is your easiest path to getting started with the Oracle AI Database, and in fact you can use it to work with multiple versions of database, including both 19c and 26ai. If the point of the class is to learn how to design a table, how to get data out of your table, how to put application logic into your database (PL/SQL), then FreeSQL gives you everything you need.

The Green arrow above? Clicking that button gives you the information you need to work with your database directly from your favorite database query tool, or IDE.

And if you’re using VS Code, it’s even easier! Clicking the ‘Create a SQL Developer…’ button, will open VS Code, and create the connection for you! All you need to do is supply the password. Note that VS Code will prompt you to open the link, and you may also get prompted to install the SQL Developer extension if it’s not already available.

Or if you’re using Python, you can use our code stub to get your env sorted!

Just use the ‘Regenerate’ button to get your password, which you’ll need to store somewhere. If you forget it or need to reset it, simply return to FreeSQL and login with your Oracle.com account.

Pros

1. nothing to install
2. zero to maintain
3. can save your work
4. easily share your SQL with others
5. multiple version of Oracle AI Database – both 19c and 26ai
6. includes TUTORIALS and code samples to help you learn additional topics
7. supports direct connectivity to your schema in the database

Cons

1. no database to call your own, or hug at night
2. will need to setup an account IF you want to save your work (have your own schema)
3. Internet access required
4. you have just the one schema per database
5. if you stop using it for 90 days, goodbye schema/data – but you can always start over

2. Always Free Oracle Autonomous Cloud Database Service

The name pretty much says it all. It’s FREE. It’s in the Cloud. Here’s what else you need to know:

Pros:

1. be up and running in about 3 minutes, all from your browser
2. you can work with it using your favorite developer/desktop tools
3. we take care of it for you – backups, upgrades, etc
4. it comes with all the tools you need to learn SQL and PL/SQL
5. exposure to general Cloud concepts
6. TWO (2!) Always Free databases per account
7. not just for learning SQL – JSON, REST, Graph, NoSQL, Machine Learning, AI, advanced analytics are all included as well!

Cons:

1. needs an internet connection
2. 20 GB max storage, but this is MORE than enough to learn how to use SQL
3. stop using the database for a few days, we’ll turn the database off
4. abandon it for a very long time, we’ll delete your database

I’m a huge fan of Always Free in the Oracle Cloud, having used it since Day 0. I’ve experienced a few minutes of unavailability over the past few YEAR. I needed to restart it due to the service ‘going to sleep’ … maybe 6 times? It only takes a few moments to get it back up and running again.

Would you like to learn more about Always Free from an independent 3rd party, so you can know what’s it’s REALLY like? Then this 22 part blog series is for you.

Oracle AI Database 26ai Free Release

26ai is our latest and greatest technology as far as databases go. We’ve made it completely free for people to use. Both of the following options are using this version of the database, so you have no licensing or money/cost concerns.

3. Docker / Podman / Rancher Containers (DOWNLOAD)

We’ve put the 26ai Free version of the database in a container for you. If you’ve never used Docker before, the previously mentioned options will be easier for you to get started. But, if you’ve been using it already to host other programming environments, this will be easy-peasy.

On our team, we use podman to run containers. My colleague Chris has put together a ‘From Zero to Hero‘ getting started tutorial. You’ll find it quite useful.

If you’re wondering about the pros and cons of this approach, that basically boils down to the pros can cons of using technologies like containers.

An alternative to our official containers, one of our PMs here (Gerald Venzl) publishes alternatives, for example a ‘slim’ container where a ton of the features have been cut out of the binaries in return for a much faster startup.

Two final notes

1. If your professor tells you you HAVE to have a database – find out what that REALLY means. I’m betting that the FreeSQL solution would work for most of you.
2. I’ve shared the easier ways to get started. If you’re training to be a database administrator, you can always download database software onto your Windows or Linux machine, and perform a software installation, and create a database from scratch. That’s becoming less and less important in terms of skills with automation and cloud taking over the world of IT.