SELECT Reference

From SQLZoo

The SELECT command is used to show data from a database.

The output from a SELECT statement is always a grid - with a number of rows and a number of columns.

Simple SELECT

The simplest SELECT commands involve a single table:

SQLResult
SELECT name, population
  FROM bbc
 WHERE region='North America'
namepopulation
Canada32000000
United States of America295000000
  • The SELECT line determines which columns to show - in this case name and population, both of which are columns of the bbc table.
  • The WHERE clause determines which rows to show
  • The SELECT statement may involve data from more than one table using a JOIN or a UNION.
  • SELECT statements may nested - that is the output from one SELECT may be the input to another SELECT.
  • The output from a SELECT may be added to another table using INSERT .. SELECT
  • The select statement may aggregate values using a SELECT .. GROUP BY clause