The Northwind database is a sample schema used for various tutorials and is now available in a PostgreSQL-compatible version on the YugabyteDB distributed SQL database. YugabyteDB offers high performance, scalability, and strong consistency similar to PostgreSQL without sacrificing ACID transactions. To get started with the Northwind database on YugabyteDB, one needs to download and install YugabyteDB, create a 3-node cluster, configure loopback addresses, enter the YSQL shell, download and install the Northwind sample database, build tables and objects, load sample data into the database, and explore the dataset. The resulting dataset consists of 14 tables with relationships showcased in an entity relationship diagram, containing suppliers, customers, employees, products, shippers, orders, and order details.