Healthcare data is commonly stored in databases. To manipulate and extract the desired data from these databases, you should know SQL. SQL is a language that has many variations depending on the engine you use. We will be using SQLite, a free, public-domain SQL database engine.

To download SQLite, do the following:

1. Navigate to the SQLite homepage (www.sqlite.org). Then, click on the Downloads tab at the top.
2. Download the appropriate precompiled binary file for your operating system. You want the bundle file, not the DLL file (the file named with the following format: sqlite-tools-{Your OS}-x86-{Version Number}.zip).
3. Using a shell or command prompt, navigate to the directory containing the sqlite3.exe program.
4. At the prompt, type sqlite3 test.db and press Enter.

You are now in the SQLite program. Later, we will use SQLite commands to create, save, and manipulate mock patient data. SQLite commands start with a period followed by a lowercase word and then the command arguments.

To exit SQLite, type .exit and press Enter.