Databases

MySQL

Free (open-source) and very similar to MS SQL
Works very well in combination with various programming languages like Perl, C, C++, Java, and PHP
Tutorial here: http://www.tutorialspoint.com/mysql/index.htm (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Download here: http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/workbench/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Don't forget to end your queries with a ";"
Need test data or want to test the scalability of your system? Use a generate dummy data application to generate up to 100 rows per iteration. A MySQL friendly version can be found here: http://www.generatedata.com/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Microsoft Access

Microsoft support pages contain information on syntax and basic how-to guides: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Access-help-29d7b83c-3b06-41ca-b38b-483b6d5efb1b?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Relational Databases and Microsoft Access (free pdf textbook): http://www.acs.uwinnipeg.ca/rmcfadyen/CreativeCommons/Relational%20Databases%20and%20Microsoft%20Access%20V2.0.pdf (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Query syntax: Querying an Access Database from a Windows Form using C sharp.docx

AirTables - an alternative to GoogleSheets. Great for building a simple cloud-based database for free.

Difficulty Level: Low; so it’s great for clients that are not very technical
Ownership Transfer: Can be easily done through email invites
Online Tutorial Videos: https://vimeo.com/album/3513053/format:detail (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
(Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. The database is formatted like an excel spreadsheet, and you can set up fields, add records, link table, and collaborate with a team. This service allows collaboration within project team members. The values of the fields are updated in real time. Data in the spreadsheets can be filtered by fields and downloaded as CSV files. Each database spreadsheet can also be turned into “survey forms” with the automatically built-in functionality of AirTable. These are all included in the free-tier of AirTable; however, more functionalities are available if you upgrade to pricing tiers.
Tip: We also found an add-on feature incorporated in AirTable that allows us to use Zapier (a third-party integration service) that allows integration of Google Forms results to the AirTable database.

FileMaker - Apple product used to create local and hosted database with CRUD capability. A lot like Access but with more functionality.

Use FileMaker if your client is reluctant to use a programming language
Don’t use FileMaker if your client needs very specific functionality or is looking for very cheap solutions ($197 for non-profit edition)
Use placeholder tables if you’re unsure of how to export data

PostgreSQL - Open-source RDBMS with similar syntax to other popular SQL flavors. Has native support for unique and flexible datatypes like ARRAY and JSON.

Cloud Firestore - NoSQL database service offered by Google Cloud Platform. Has client and server libraries for just about any language. Very inexpensive, especially when considering the $300 annual credit all GCP accounts get.

Knack - create a non-technical database for our client. Frontend of the application allows users to RSVP to an event with a calendar application. Information is then transferred to the backend database.

Simple, non-technical app builder