Virtual Tables
VIEWs, Derived Tables, CTEs, and MQTs
VIEWs, derived tables, and CTEs (Common Table Expression) are ways of putting a query into a named schema object. By that, I mean these things hold the query text rather than the results of the query. They are executed as needed and then we see the results.
A VIEW is also called a virtual table, to distinguish it from temporary and base tables. The definition of a VIEW in Standard SQL requires that it act as if an actual physical table is created when its name is invoked. Whether or not the database system actually materializes the results or uses other mechanisms to get the same effect is implementation defined. The definition of a VIEW is kept in the schema tables to be invoked by name ...
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