SQL in a Nutshell, 4th Edition

Appendix A. Shared and Platform-Specific Keywords

This appendix is intended to serve as a quick reference for words that you should not use as object or variable names in your databases. Strictly speaking, a keyword is a word with special meaning within a specific computer programming context, while a reserved word is a word that cannot be used as an identifier for objects like tables, views, and procedures, because the word is reserved for use by the computer language itself. These terms are often used interchangeably, although they are not truly synonyms. In our case, we use the term “keywords” colloquially defined as “words you should not use in an identifier, whether strictly prohibited or not.”

Of course, the names of all SQL statements and built-in functions are keywords, as are the names of other language elements (clauses, predicates, expressions, etc.). We have attempted to identify and list them all here, but because they are so numerous, and because the language and the various database platforms are constantly evolving, it is possible that we have missed some. Consequently, you should treat the following lists as guidelines, but not as definitively complete. (And if you identify any gaps, please submit them to the errata.)

The following sections contain two expansive lists of keywords, ordered alphabetically from A to Z. First, we provide a list of keywords identified in the SQL:2019 standard. Second, we present a list of shared keywords that are not part of the standard ...