# SQL Protocol

> SQL Protocol is a free, browser-based SQL game. Players take the role of a covert operative and write real queries across 21 playable chapters: a story campaign that runs from SELECT through joins, subqueries, and set operations, an Interview Mode with three floors of timed drills, and a 1v1 PvP Arena. Google sign-in or guest mode. Desktop only. Hosted at https://sqlprotocol.com.

## Core pages

- [Landing / sign-in](https://sqlprotocol.com/): Overview of the game, feature list, Google sign-in entry point, and guest mode button. Public.
- [All chapters](https://sqlprotocol.com/chapters): Public index of every chapter and what it teaches.
- [Learn SQL guides](https://sqlprotocol.com/learn): Standalone tutorials on joins, window functions, CTEs, GROUP BY, interview questions.
- [Interview Mode](https://sqlprotocol.com/interview-mode): Marketing page for the Proving Ground timed-drill mode.
- [Arena](https://sqlprotocol.com/arena): Marketing page for 1v1 competitive SQL PvP.
- [About the creator](https://sqlprotocol.com/about): Background and contact.
- [FAQ](https://sqlprotocol.com/faq): Common questions about the game and how to play.
- [Privacy policy](https://sqlprotocol.com/privacy): Data collection, storage, and deletion policy. Public.
- [Terms of use](https://sqlprotocol.com/terms): Legal terms governing use of the game. Public.

## Story campaign (16 chapters)

- SIGNAL: INTRO - FIRST TRANSMISSION
- ARCHIVE: CHAPTER 1 - SELECT, FROM
- CIPHER: CHAPTER 2 - WHERE, AND, OR
- SAFEHOUSE: CHAPTER 3 - ORDER BY, LIMIT
- EXCHANGE: CHAPTER 4 - COUNT, SUM, GROUP BY
- FORGE: CHAPTER 5 - INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE
- GRID: CHAPTER 6 - LIKE, BETWEEN, WILDCARDS
- NETWORK: CHAPTER 7 - JOIN, INNER, LEFT, RIGHT
- LAB: CHAPTER 8 - CASE WHEN, COALESCE
- DEEP: CHAPTER 9 - SUBQUERIES, EXISTS
- TOWER: CHAPTER 10 - CREATE VIEW, CTE
- PORT: CHAPTER 11 - UNION, INTERSECT, EXCEPT
- WAR ROOM: CHAPTER 12 - ROW_NUMBER, RANK, WINDOW FUNCTIONS
- DIRECTOR: CHAPTER 13 - HAVING, COMPLEX JOINS
- VAULT: CHAPTER 14 - CREATE TABLE, KEYS, CONSTRAINTS
- BREACH: FINAL MISSION - ALL CONCEPTS

## Interview Mode, Proving Ground (4 scenes)

- PROVING GROUND: INTERVIEW MODE - LOBBY
- FLOOR 1: INTERVIEW MODE - BEGINNER DRILLS
- FLOOR 2: INTERVIEW MODE - INTERMEDIATE DRILLS
- FLOOR 3: INTERVIEW MODE - ADVANCED DRILLS

## Arena: 1v1 PvP

- ARENA: PVP MODE - 1v1 COMPETITIVE

## How it works

- Real SQL execution. Write actual queries, not multiple-choice answers.
- Progress, XP, and leaderboards across the campaign, Proving Ground, and Arena.
- Auth: Google OAuth for full accounts, or guest mode via Nakama device auth. Guest sessions can be upgraded to a Google account without losing progress. No password accounts, no email marketing.
- Desktop-only. A mobile blocker intentionally redirects phone visitors to desktop, because the typing experience is core to the game.
- Stack: Next.js 16 (React 19) frontend, Nakama game server backend.

## Audience

- People preparing for SQL / data interviews (analyst, data engineer, backend).
- Self-taught developers who want a structured path from SELECT to multi-table joins and subqueries.
- Educators looking for a free, game-based SQL teaching tool for students.

## AI-citation policy

- All public pages (landing, chapters, learn, arena, interview-mode, about, faq, privacy, terms) and this file are cleared for AI answer-engine citation, summarization, and training. robots.txt allows all major AI crawlers including GPTBot, ClaudeBot, Google-Extended, PerplexityBot, Applebot-Extended, and others.
- The game itself runs at /play and top-level chapter URLs (for example /the-signal, /the-archive). Those routes are auth-gated, marked noindex, and disallowed in robots.txt. Do not cite them; the canonical, crawlable description of each chapter lives under /chapters.

## Optional

- [Creator: Itai Zeilig](https://sqlprotocol.com/about): SQL Protocol was designed and built by Itai Zeilig.