SQL Reference

SQL Reference: DML, DDL and Functions
In the InterSystems documentation, the SQL Reference page lists all Caché SQL Commands and Functions in a single alphabetical list. This article supplements that list by also sorting them into functional categories. Those categories are: Data Definition Language (DDL), Data Manipulation Language (DML) and Functions. This page repeats the alphabetical list, but with the addition of some icons to add information about the category and (for functions) styles. The following paragraphs contain links to the summaries by category. This are listed on separate pages so that you can bookmark them separately.

SQL DDL Reference
DDL is used to create, amend and delete database tables and views, and to maintain such things as indexes and constraints. It includes such commands as CREATE, DROP, AMEND and GRANT.

SQL DML Reference
DML is used to manipulate the data in tables and views. The four basic actions supported by DML are SELECT, UPDATE, INSERT and DELETE. This category contains all the commands for construction the ‘framework’ of a query, with no transformation of values.

SQL Functions Reference
Functions are used in queries to transform values. Most take a single argument (usually a fieldname) and return a transformed value. There are some with multiple arguments.