This document defines the data structures and basic operations on SQL-data. It provides functional capabilities for creating, accessing, maintaining, controlling, and protecting SQL-data.

This document specifies the syntax and semantics of a database language:

— for specifying and modifying the structure and the integrity constraints of SQL-data;
— for declaring and invoking operations on SQL-data and cursors;
— for declaring database language procedures;
— for embedding SQL-statements in a compilation unit that is otherwise written in a particular programming language (host language);
— for deriving an equivalent compilation unit in the host language. In that equivalent compilation unit, each embedded SQL-statement has been replaced by one or more statements in the host language, some of which invoke an SQL externally-invoked procedure that, when executed, has an effect equivalent to executing the SQL-statement;
— for direct invocation of SQL-statements;
— to support dynamic preparation and execution of SQL-statements.

This document provides a vehicle for portability of data definitions and compilation units between SQL-implementations.

This document provides a vehicle for interconnection of SQL-implementations.

Implementations of this document can exist in environments that also support application programming languages, end-user query languages, report generator systems, data dictionary systems, program library systems, and distributed communication systems, as well as various tools for database design, data administration, and performance optimization.