SQL Keywords

This SQL keyword reference comprises the reserved words utilized in SQL.

SQL Keywords

Keyword	Description
ADD	Adds a column to an existing table.
ADD CONSTRAINT	Applies a constraint after a table has been created.
ALL	Returns true if all values retrieved by the subquery meet the condition.
ALTER	Modifies columns in a table by adding, deleting, or altering them, including changing the data type of a column.
ALTER COLUMN	Alters the data type of a column in a table.
ALTER TABLE	Modifies columns within a table by adding, deleting, or altering them.
AND	Includes only rows where both conditions are true.
ANY	Returns true if any of the values retrieved by the subquery meet the condition.
AS	Assigns an alias to rename a column or table.
ASC	Arranges the result set in ascending order.
BACKUP DATABASE	Generates a backup of an existing database.
BETWEEN	Retrieves values falling within a specified range.
CASE	Generates various outputs depending on specified conditions.
CHECK	A constraint that restricts the value that can be inserted into a column.
COLUMN	Alters the data type of a column or removes a column from a table.
CONSTRAINT	Applies or removes a constraint.
CREATE	Creates a database, index, view, table, or procedure
CREATE DATABASE	Creates an index on a table (allows duplicate values)
CREATE INDEX	Creates an index on a table, permitting duplicate values.
CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW	Modifies a view.
CREATE TABLE	Generates a new table within the database.
CREATE PROCEDURE	Generates a stored procedure.
CREATE UNIQUE INDEX	Creates a unique index on a table, ensuring no duplicate values are allowed.
CREATE VIEW	Creates a view using the result set of a SELECT statement.
DATABASE	Creates or deletes an SQL database.
DEFAULT	A constraint that specifies a default value for a column.
DELETE	Removes rows from a table.
DESC	Arranges the result set in descending order.
DISTINCT	Retrieves only unique (distinct) values.
DROP	Removes a column, constraint, database, index, table, or view.
DROP COLUMN	Removes a column from a table.
DROP CONSTRAINT	“Remove a constraint such as UNIQUE, PRIMARY KEY, FOREIGN KEY, or CHECK.”
DROP DATABASE	Removes an existing SQL database.
DROP DEFAULT	Removes a DEFAULT constraint
DROP INDEX	Removes an index from a table
DROP TABLE	Removes an existing table from the database.
DROP VIEW	Removes a view.
EXEC	Runs a stored procedure.
EXISTS	Checks for the presence of any record in a subquery.
FOREIGN KEY	A key constraint utilized to connect two tables.
FROM	Specifies the table from which to select or delete data.
FULL OUTER JOIN	Retrieves all rows where there is a match either in the left table or the right table
GROUP BY	Groups the result set using aggregate functions such as COUNT, MAX, MIN, SUM, AVG.
HAVING	Utilized in place of WHERE when working with aggregate functions.
IN	Enables specifying multiple values within a WHERE clause.
INDEX	Establishes or removes an index within a table.
INNER JOIN	Retrieves rows with matching values in both tables.
INSERT INTO	Adds new rows to a table.
INSERT INTO SELECT	Transfers data from one table to another.
IS NULL	Checks for null values.
IS NOT NULL	Checks for values that are not null.
JOIN	Combines tables.
LEFT JOIN	Retrieves all rows from the left table and matching rows from the right table.
LIKE	Looks for a specified pattern within a column.
LIMIT	Defines the quantity of records to be included in the result set.
NOT	Excludes rows where a condition is false
NOT NULL	A constraint that mandates a column to not allow NULL values.
OR	Incorporates rows where either condition is true.
ORDER BY	Arranges the result set in ascending or descending order.
OUTER JOIN	Retrieves all rows when there is a match in either the left or right table.
PRIMARY KEY	A constraint that ensures each record in a database table is uniquely identified.
PROCEDURE	A stored procedure.
RIGHT JOIN	Retrieves all rows from the right table and matching rows from the left table.
ROWNUM	Specifies the quantity of records to be returned in the result set.
SELECT	Retrieves data from a database.
SELECT DISTINCT	Retrieves only unique values.
SELECT INTO	Duplicates data from one table into a new table.
SELECT TOP	Determines the count of records to include in the result set.
SET	Specifies the columns and their corresponding values to update in a table.
TABLE	“Creates a table, adds, deletes, or modifies columns within a table, deletes a table, or manipulates data within a table.”
TOP	“Defines the quantity of records to retrieve in the result set.”
TRUNCATE TABLE	“Clears the data within a table, without affecting the table structure itself.”
UNION	“Merges the result sets of two or more SELECT statements, considering only distinct values.”
UNION ALL	“Merges the result sets of two or more SELECT statements, including duplicate values.”
UNIQUE	“A constraint that guarantees all values in a column are unique.”
UPDATE	“Modifies existing rows in a table.”
VALUES	“Defines the values for an INSERT INTO statement.”
VIEW	“Establishes, modifies, or removes a view.”
WHERE	“Refines a result set to include only records that meet a specified condition.”