# Information Schema ROUTINES Table
The [Information Schema](/docs/server/reference/system-tables/information-schema.md) `ROUTINES` table stores information about [stored procedures](/docs/server/server-usage/stored-routines/stored-procedures.md) and [stored functions](/docs/server/server-usage/stored-routines/stored-functions.md).
It contains the following columns:
| Column | Description |
| -------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| SPECIFIC\_NAME | |
| ROUTINE\_CATALOG | Always def. |
| ROUTINE\_SCHEMA | Database name associated with the routine. |
| ROUTINE\_NAME | Name of the routine. |
| ROUTINE\_TYPE | Whether the routine is a PROCEDURE or a FUNCTION. |
| DATA\_TYPE | The return value's [data type](/docs/server/reference/data-types.md) (for stored functions). |
| CHARACTER\_MAXIMUM\_LENGTH | Maximum length. |
| CHARACTER\_OCTET\_LENGTH | Same as the CHARACTER\_MAXIMUM\_LENGTH except for multi-byte [character sets](/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/character-sets.md). |
| NUMERIC\_PRECISION | For numeric types, the precision (number of significant digits) for the column. NULL if not a numeric field. |
| NUMERIC\_SCALE | For numeric types, the scale (significant digits to the right of the decimal point). NULL if not a numeric field. |
| DATETIME\_PRECISION | Fractional-seconds precision, or NULL if not a [time data type](/docs/server/reference/data-types/date-and-time-data-types.md). |
| CHARACTER\_SET\_NAME | [Character set](/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/character-sets.md) if a non-binary [string data type](/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types.md), otherwise NULL. |
| COLLATION\_NAME | [Collation](/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/character-sets.md) if a non-binary [string data type](/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types.md), otherwise NULL. |
| DATA\_TYPE | The column's [data type](/docs/server/reference/data-types.md). |
| ROUTINE\_BODY | Always SQL. |
| ROUTINE\_DEFINITION | Definition of the routine. |
| EXTERNAL\_NAME | Always NULL. |
| EXTERNAL\_LANGUAGE | Always SQL. |
| PARAMETER\_STYLE | Always SQL. |
| IS\_DETERMINISTIC | Whether the routine is deterministic (can produce only one result for a given list of parameters) or not. |
| SQL\_DATA\_ACCESS | One of READS SQL DATA, MODIFIES SQL DATA, CONTAINS SQL, or NO SQL. |
| SQL\_PATH | Always NULL. |
| SECURITY\_TYPE | INVOKER or DEFINER. Indicates which user's privileges apply to this routine. |
| CREATED | Date and time the routine was created. |
| LAST\_ALTERED | Date and time the routine was last changed. |
| SQL\_MODE | The [SQL\_MODE](/docs/server/server-management/variables-and-modes/sql_mode.md) at the time the routine was created. |
| ROUTINE\_COMMENT | Comment associated with the routine. |
| DEFINER | If the SECURITY\_TYPE is DEFINER, this value indicates which user defined this routine. |
| CHARACTER\_SET\_CLIENT | The [character set](/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/character-sets.md) used by the client that created the routine. |
| COLLATION\_CONNECTION | The [collation](/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/character-sets.md) (and character set) used by the connection that created the routine. |
| DATABASE\_COLLATION | The default [collation](/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/character-sets.md) (and character set) for the database, at the time the routine was created. |
It provides information similar to, but more complete, than the [SHOW PROCEDURE STATUS](/docs/server/reference/sql-statements/administrative-sql-statements/show/show-procedure-status.md) and [SHOW FUNCTION STATUS](/docs/server/reference/sql-statements/administrative-sql-statements/show/show-function-status.md) statements.
For information about the parameters accepted by the routine, you can query the [information\_schema.PARAMETERS](/docs/server/reference/system-tables/information-schema/information-schema-tables/information-schema-parameters-table.md) table.
## See also
* [Stored Function Overview](/docs/server/server-usage/stored-routines/stored-functions/stored-function-overview.md)
* [Stored Procedure Overview](/docs/server/server-usage/stored-routines/stored-procedures/stored-procedure-overview.md)
*This page is licensed: CC BY-SA / Gnu FDL*
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