What Is SQL?

SQL is the acronym for Structured Query Language, which is defined by ANSI standards in the United States and by X/OPEN standards in Europe.

The way into a relational database is through a query language, which is a set of operators, expressions, and statements that let you manipulate the database in various ways. You create queries, as well as other kinds of statements, in IMAGE/SQL by using SQL. You issue the statements directly through an interactive command processor (ISQL) or indirectly through an application program.

SQL includes statements that let you do the following:

SQL statements are shown in uppercase letters (for example, SELECT) in this manual.