SQL Building Blocks

SQL includes commands for querying (retrieving data from) a database, and for creating new databases and database objects, adding new data, modifying existing data, and other functions.

Originally developed by the IBM San Jose Research Laboratory in the late 1970s, SQL (Structured Query Language) has been adopted by, and adapted for, many relational database management systems. It has been approved as the official relational query language by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Transact-SQL®, the SAP® extension of SQL, is compatible with IBM SQL and most other commercial implementations of SQL. It provides important extra capabilities and functions, such as summary calculations, stored procedures (predefined SQL statements), and error handling.

Note: If Java is enabled on your server, you can install and use Java classes in the database. You can invoke Java operations and store Java classes using standard Transact-SQL commands.
Related concepts
The pubs2 Database
The pubs3 Database