Data engineering and IT

SQL

Short for structured query language.

  • Data engineering and IT

Definition

Short for structured query language. The standard language for asking questions of and managing data in databases.

Example

A data analyst uses SQL to ask a database for records needed to answer a question.

See how it works

SELECT 2 + 3 AS total;

Result: total = 5

A query that works without any sample tables.

Check your understanding

Common mistake: SQL is a language for working with databases, not the database itself.

What does AS total do?

Show explanation

It gives the returned column a readable name.

For your role

Choose your role to see what this term means in your work.

Why it matters

It is the most common way to get data out of databases.

Where it is used

Databases, reporting and analyst job descriptions.