What Are Views?
A view is a named virtual table that is defined by a query and used as a table. Unlike permanent tables, a view has no physical representation of its data unless you create an index on it. Whenever you issue a query against a nonindexed view, SQL Server in practice has to access the underlying tables. Unless specified otherwise, the discussions in this chapter involve nonindexed views.
When you create a view, you specify a name for the view and a query. Microsoft SQL Server stores only metadata information about the view, describing the object, its columns, security, dependencies, and so on. When you query a view–by retrieving or modifying data–the query processor replaces a view reference with its definition; in other words, the ...
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