CREATE – SQL Tutorial

The SQL CREATE statement is used to create a new table, view, index, or other object in a database. It is one of the most fundamental and widely used SQL commands, and it allows database administrators and developers to define the structure and properties of database objects.

Syntax

The syntax for the CREATE statement is as follows:

CREATE object_type object_name
(
    column1 data_type constraints,
    column2 data_type constraints,
    ...
    columnN data_type constraints
);

The object_type refers to the type of database object that you want to create, such as TABLE, INDEX, or VIEW.
The object_name is the name that you want to give to the new object.

Next, you define the columns that you want to include in the object. Each column is defined by a column_name, a data_type that specifies the type of data that can be stored in the column, and optional constraints that define any restrictions on the data that can be stored in the column.

Other types of objects that can be created with the CREATE statement include views, which are virtual tables that provide a customized view of one or more tables in the database; indexes, which improve the performance of queries by allowing them to quickly search for specific values in a table; and triggers, which are code blocks that are executed automatically when certain events occur (such as inserting or updating data in a table).

CREATE TABLE

Here’s an example of how to use the CREATE TABLE statement to create a new table:

CREATE TABLE customers
(
    customer_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    customer_name VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
    email VARCHAR(50) UNIQUE,
    phone VARCHAR(20)
);

In this example, we’re creating a new table called customers with four columns: customer_id, customer_name, email, and phone. The customer_id column is defined as an INT data type and a PRIMARY KEY constraint, which means that it will uniquely identify each row in the table. The customer_name column is defined as a VARCHAR(50) data type and a NOT NULL constraint, which means that it cannot be left empty. The email column is defined as a VARCHAR(50) data type and a UNIQUE constraint, which means that each value in this column must be unique. Finally, the phone column is defined as a VARCHAR(20) data type with no additional constraints.

CREATE VIEW

A view in SQL is a virtual table that is based on the result set of a SELECT statement. A view can be used to simplify complex queries, restrict access to certain columns or rows of a table, or provide a logical representation of data that is stored in multiple tables. The CREATE VIEW statement is used to create a view in SQL.

The syntax for creating a view in SQL is as follows:

CREATE VIEW view_name AS
SELECT column1, column2, ...
FROM table_name
WHERE condition;

Here, view_name is the name of the view, column1, column2, … are the columns that you want to include in the view, table_name is the name of the table that you want to create the view from, and condition is an optional WHERE clause that you can use to filter the data.

For example, let’s say you have a table called employees with columns id, name, department, and salary. You can create a view called employee_names that only includes the id and name columns as follows:

CREATE VIEW employee_names AS
SELECT id, name
FROM employees;

CREATE TRIGGER

Suppose we have a table called “Orders” with columns “OrderID”, “OrderDate”, and “TotalAmount”. We want to create a trigger that automatically updates the “OrderDate” column to the current date and time whenever a new row is inserted into the table.

The CREATE TRIGGER statement is used to create a trigger in SQL. Here’s how we can create the trigger:

CREATE TRIGGER UpdateOrderDate
ON Orders
AFTER INSERT
AS
BEGIN
  UPDATE Orders
  SET OrderDate = GETDATE()
  WHERE OrderID IN (SELECT OrderID FROM inserted)
END

In this example, the trigger is named “UpdateOrderDate” and is created on the “Orders” table. The “AFTER INSERT” clause specifies that the trigger should fire after a new row is inserted into the table. The “BEGIN” and “END” keywords define the body of the trigger, which consists of a single SQL statement that updates the “OrderDate” column to the current date and time using the built-in GETDATE function. The WHERE clause ensures that only the newly inserted rows are updated.

A trigger in SQL is a set of instructions that are automatically executed in response to certain events, such as the insertion, update, or deletion of data in a table. Triggers can be used to enforce business rules, maintain data consistency, or perform other tasks that need to be executed automatically.

CREATE INDEX

An index in SQL is a data structure that is used to improve the performance of queries by providing fast access to data. An index is created on one or more columns of a table, and it stores a copy of the data in a format that is optimized for fast searches.

The CREATE INDEX statement is used to create an index in SQL. The syntax for creating an index in SQL is as follows:

CREATE INDEX index_name
ON table_name (column1, column2, ...);

CREATE PROCEDURE

The CREATE PROCEDURE statement is used to define and store these procedures within a relational database management system (RDBMS). Stored procedures offer several advantages, including code reusability, improved performance by reducing the need for repetitive query compilation, and enhanced security through controlled access to data.

In the process of creating a stored procedure, developers can specify input parameters, define local variables, and include procedural logic using SQL statements. Once created, stored procedures can be invoked multiple times with different input values, promoting code modularity and easing the management of complex database tasks.

Let’s look at a simple example of a stored procedure with parameters:

CREATE PROCEDURE GetEmployee
    @EmployeeID INT
AS
BEGIN
    SELECT * FROM Employees WHERE EmployeeID = @EmployeeID;
END;

In this example, we’ve created a stored procedure named GetEmployee that takes an @EmployeeID parameter and retrieves information from the Employees table based on that ID.

Once a stored procedure is created, it can be executed using the EXECUTE statement or simply by calling its name:

-- Using EXECUTE
EXECUTE GetEmployee @EmployeeID = 123;

-- Without EXECUTE
GetEmployee @EmployeeID = 123;

CREATE FUNCTION

The SQL CREATE FUNCTION statement is used to define a new user-defined function. A function in SQL is a set of SQL statements that perform a specific task and return a single value. Functions can be used to encapsulate logic, promote code reusability, and simplify complex queries.

Here’s a simple example of a function that calculates the square of a given number:

CREATE FUNCTION CalculateSquare (@number INT)
RETURNS INT
AS
BEGIN
    DECLARE @result INT;
    SET @result = @number * @number;
    RETURN @result;
END;

In this example, the function is named CalculateSquare, takes an integer parameter @number, and returns an integer. The function body calculates the square of the input parameter and returns the result.

Once the function is created, you can use it in SQL queries like any other built-in function:

SELECT dbo.CalculateSquare(5) AS SquareResult;

This query would return the result of calling the CalculateSquare function with the argument 5.

When using the CREATE statement, it is important to ensure that the object being created is unique and conforms to the naming conventions and rules of the database system being used. It is also important to consider the performance implications of creating new objects, particularly indexes, which can significantly impact the speed of queries and other operations on large databases.