name: SQL Vocabulary
description: >-
  Normative vocabulary for SQL (Structured Query Language), the ANSI/ISO standard
  language for relational database management, covering core language constructs,
  data types, connectivity standards, and common database concepts.
version: '1.0'
created: '2026-05-02'
modified: '2026-05-02'
url: https://www.iso.org/standard/76583.html
terms:
  - term: SQL
    definition: >-
      Structured Query Language — the ANSI/ISO standard language for creating,
      querying, updating, and managing relational databases. Current standard is
      ISO/IEC 9075:2023 (SQL:2023).
    tags:
      - Core
      - Standard
  - term: SELECT
    definition: >-
      A SQL DML statement that retrieves rows from one or more tables based on
      specified conditions, with optional sorting, grouping, and aggregation.
    tags:
      - DML
      - Query
  - term: INSERT
    definition: >-
      A SQL DML statement that adds new rows to a table. Supports inserting
      single rows, multiple rows, or rows from a SELECT subquery.
    tags:
      - DML
      - Write
  - term: UPDATE
    definition: >-
      A SQL DML statement that modifies existing rows in a table, optionally
      filtered by a WHERE clause.
    tags:
      - DML
      - Write
  - term: DELETE
    definition: >-
      A SQL DML statement that removes rows from a table, optionally filtered
      by a WHERE clause.
    tags:
      - DML
      - Write
  - term: DDL
    definition: >-
      Data Definition Language — SQL statements that define or modify database
      schema objects (CREATE, ALTER, DROP, TRUNCATE).
    tags:
      - DDL
      - Schema
  - term: DML
    definition: >-
      Data Manipulation Language — SQL statements that read or modify data
      (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, MERGE).
    tags:
      - DML
      - Data
  - term: Transaction
    definition: >-
      A sequence of SQL operations treated as a single logical unit of work,
      governed by ACID properties. Delimited by BEGIN, COMMIT, and ROLLBACK.
    tags:
      - ACID
      - Concurrency
  - term: Primary Key
    definition: >-
      A column or set of columns that uniquely identifies each row in a table.
      Primary keys must be unique and non-null, and are automatically indexed.
    tags:
      - Schema
      - Constraint
  - term: Foreign Key
    definition: >-
      A column that references the primary key of another table, enforcing
      referential integrity between related tables.
    tags:
      - Schema
      - Constraint
      - Relationships
  - term: Index
    definition: >-
      A database structure that improves the speed of data retrieval on a table
      column or set of columns at the cost of additional storage and write overhead.
    tags:
      - Performance
      - Schema
  - term: JOIN
    definition: >-
      A SQL operation that combines rows from two or more tables based on a
      related column. Types include INNER JOIN, LEFT OUTER JOIN, RIGHT OUTER JOIN,
      FULL OUTER JOIN, and CROSS JOIN.
    tags:
      - Query
      - Relationships
  - term: Stored Procedure
    definition: >-
      A precompiled and named SQL program stored in the database that can be
      called by client applications, supporting parameters and complex logic.
    tags:
      - Procedural SQL
      - Performance
  - term: View
    definition: >-
      A virtual table defined by a SQL SELECT query that simplifies complex
      queries and can enforce data access restrictions.
    tags:
      - Schema
      - Abstraction
  - term: ODBC
    definition: >-
      Open Database Connectivity — a standard C-language API for accessing
      ODBC-compliant databases regardless of the underlying DBMS.
      Defined in ISO/IEC 9075-3 (SQL/CLI).
    tags:
      - Connectivity
      - Standard
      - API
  - term: JDBC
    definition: >-
      Java Database Connectivity — the standard Java API for connecting
      applications to SQL databases. Defined in JSR 221.
    tags:
      - Connectivity
      - Java
      - API
  - term: SQLSTATE
    definition: >-
      A standardized five-character code returned by SQL operations to indicate
      success or the type of error encountered. Defined in the SQL standard.
    tags:
      - Error Handling
      - Standard
  - term: NULL
    definition: >-
      A special marker in SQL indicating the absence of a value. NULL is not
      equal to any value including itself; comparisons use IS NULL or IS NOT NULL.
    tags:
      - Data Types
      - Core
  - term: ACID
    definition: >-
      The four properties guaranteeing reliable transaction processing:
      Atomicity (all-or-nothing), Consistency (valid state), Isolation
      (independent execution), and Durability (committed = permanent).
    tags:
      - Transactions
      - Reliability
  - term: Parameterized Query
    definition: >-
      A SQL statement with placeholders (?, $1, :name) for input values,
      preventing SQL injection by separating query structure from user data.
    tags:
      - Security
      - Best Practice