SQL SELECT

The SQL SELECT Statement

The SELECT statement serves to retrieve data from a database.

Example

Retrieve data from the Customers table.

SELECT CustomerName, City FROM Customers;

Syntax

SELECT column1, column2, ...

FROM table_name;

In this context, column1, column2, and so forth denote the field names within the table from which you aim to retrieve data. The table_name refers to the specific name of the table you intend to select data from.

Demo Database

Here is a excerpt from the Customers table utilized in the examples:

CustomerID	CustomerName	ContactName	Address	City	PostalCode	Country
1	Alfreds Futterkiste	Maria Anders	Obere Str. 57	Berlin	12209	Germany
2	Ana Trujillo Emparedados y helados	Ana Trujillo	Avda. de la Constitución 2222	México D.F.	05021	Mexico
3	Antonio Moreno Taquería	Antonio Moreno	Mataderos 2312	México D.F.	05023	Mexico
4	Around the Horn	Thomas Hardy	120 Hanover Sq.	London	WA1 1DP	UK
5	Berglunds snabbköp	Christina Berglund	Berguvsvägen 8	Luleå	S-958 22	Sweden

Select ALL columns

To retrieve all columns without individually specifying each column name, you can employ the SELECT * syntax.

Example

Retrieve all columns from the Customers table.

SELECT * FROM Customers;