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SQL includes operators and functions for calculating values on stored values. SQL allows the use of expressions in the select list to project data, as in the following example, which returns a list of books that cost more than 100.00 with an additional sales_tax column containing a sales tax figure calculated at 6% of the price.
SQL statements also include the semicolon (";") statement terminator. Though not required on every platform, it is defined as a standard part of the SQL grammar. Insignificant whitespace is generally ignored in SQL statements and queries, making it easier to format SQL code for readability.
Once created, a user-defined function may be used in expressions in SQL statements. For example, it can be invoked where most other intrinsic functions are allowed. This also includes SELECT statements, where the function can be used against data stored in tables in the database. Conceptually, the function is evaluated once per row in such usage.
A function is a subprogram written to perform certain computations. A scalar function returns only one value (or NULL), whereas a table function returns a (relational) table comprising zero or more rows, each row with one or more columns. Functions must return a value (using the RETURN keyword), but for stored procedures this is not mandatory.
The sort criteria can be expressions, including column names, user-defined functions, arithmetic operations, or CASE expressions. The expressions are evaluated and the results are used for the sorting, i.e., the values stored in the column or the results of the function call. ORDER BY is the only way to sort the rows in the result set.
A GROUP BY statement in SQL specifies that a SQL SELECT statement partitions result rows into groups, based on their values in one or several columns. Typically, grouping is used to apply some sort of aggregate function for each group. [1] [2] The result of a query using a GROUP BY statement contains one row for
Conversely, an inner join can result in disastrously slow performance or even a server crash when used in a large volume query in combination with database functions in an SQL Where clause. [2] [3] [4] A function in an SQL Where clause can result in the database ignoring relatively compact table indexes. The database may read and inner join the ...
The SQL From clause is the source of a rowset to be operated upon in a Data Manipulation Language (DML) statement. From clauses are very common, and will provide the rowset to be exposed through a Select statement, the source of values in an Update statement, and the target rows to be deleted in a Delete statement.