SQL INTRODUCTION

Dr.Aparna Chaparala
 SQL is a standard language for accessing and
manipulating databases.

SQL stands for Structured Query Language

What is SQL? SQL lets you access and manipulate databases

SQL became a standard of the American National

Standards Institute (ANSI) in 1986, and of the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
in 1987
 Execute execute queries against a database

Retrieve retrieve data from a database

Insert insert records in a database

Update update records in a database

What can Delete delete records from a database

SQL do? Create create new databases

Create create new tables in a database

Create create stored procedures in a database

Create create views in a database

Set set permissions on tables, procedures, and views

 CREATE TABLE Statement

Syntax
CREATE TABLE table_name  (   
column1 datatype [ NULL | NOT NULL ] [constraint definition],  
column2 datatype [ NULL | NOT NULL ] [constraint definition],   CREATE TABLE table_name 
...   AS (Query);   
column_n datatype [ NULL | NOT NULL ] [constraint definition],
[Table level constraint definition] ); 
 Character Types

• CHAR Datatype
• The CHAR datatype stores fixed-length character strings
• VARCHAR2
• The VARCHAR2 datatype stores variable-length character
strings
• VARCHAR 
Oracle 8i • The VARCHAR datatype is currently synonymous with the
VARCHAR2 datatype.

Built-in Data NUMBER Type

Types • NUMBER
• can store numeric values with the maximum range and
precision

Date Type

• Date
• storing date data
Constraints
NOT NULL
• A NOT NULL constraint prohibits a database value from being null.

UNIQUE
• A unique constraint prohibits multiple rows from having the same value in the same column or
combination of columns but allows some values to be null.

PRIMARY KEY
• A primary key constraint combines a NOT NULL constraint and a unique constraint in a single declaration.
That is, it prohibits multiple rows from having the same value in the same column or combination of
columns and prohibits values from being null.

FOREIGN KEY
• A foreign key constraint requires values in one table to match values in another table.

CHECK
• A check constraint requires a value in the database to comply with a specified condition.
 Steps for creating a table

Identify columns
Identify columns Identify primary
Identify data types that must be
that can and key–foreign key
for attributes unique (candidate
cannot be null mates
keys)

Identify constraints
Determine default on columns
Create the table
values (domain
specifications)
 ALTER TABLE Statement

ADD Clause
• ALTER TABLE table_name  ADD column_name column-definition; 
• ALTER TABLE table_name  ADD (column_1 column-definition,  column_2 column-
definition,  ...  column_n column_definition);  

MODIFY Clause
• ALTER TABLE table_name  MODIFY column_name column_type;  
• ALTER TABLE table_name  MODIFY (column_1 column_type,  column_2 column_type,  ...  column_n column_type);  

DROP Clause
• ALTER TABLE table_name  DROP COLUMN column_name;  
DROP & TRUNCATE TABLE Statements

DROP [schema_name].TABLE table_name  
[ CASCADE CONSTRAINTS ]  [ PURGE ];  

TRUNCATE TABLE [schema_name.]table_name;    
 Insert Statement

INSERT INTO table  (column1, column2, ... column_n )  
VALUES  (expression1, expression2, ... expression_n );   

INSERT INTO table  (column1, column2, ... column_n )  SELECT 
expression1, expression2, ... expression_n  FROM source_table  WHERE conditions;   
UPDATE Statement

UPDATE table  SET column1 = expression1,  column2 = expression2, ...  column_n = expression_n 
 WHERE conditions;  
DELETE Statement

DELETE FROM table_name  WHERE conditions;