> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://mariadb.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure.md).

# SQL Language Structure

Explore the SQL language structure in MariaDB Server. This section provides fundamental concepts, syntax rules, and common elements that form the building blocks of SQL queries and commands.

{% columns %}
{% column %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/dRWeGkozIrPrW3YvW0Io" %}
[Binary Literals](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure/binary-literals.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
Binary literal syntax in MariaDB: b'value', B'value', and 0bvalue.
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

{% columns %}
{% column %}
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[Date and Time Literals](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure/date-and-time-literals.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
Syntax for DATE, TIME, DATETIME, and TIMESTAMP literals, including SQL- standard and ODBC forms.
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

{% columns %}
{% column %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/x6OyxRvOFetIhgMiH0fY" %}
[Hexadecimal Literals](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure/hexadecimal-literals.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
Hexadecimal literal syntax in MariaDB, such as x'value' and 0xvalue.
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

{% columns %}
{% column %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/hmDdVB1s6O8pmQhXPBVH" %}
[Identifier Case Sensitivity](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure/identifier-case-sensitivity.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
How identifier case sensitivity depends on the object type and the operating system.
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

{% columns %}
{% column %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/7h62HPQKGIrjaXcDd27Y" %}
[Identifier Names](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure/identifier-names.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
Rules for naming identifiers such as databases, tables, columns, and other objects.
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

{% columns %}
{% column %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/oCzhRBEdfTrKTbeVeNYK" %}
[Identifier Qualifiers](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure/identifier-qualifiers.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
Using qualifiers (such as db.table.column) to reference database objects in SQL.
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

{% columns %}
{% column %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/SDrW07DoNOCN1wkmR75f" %}
[Identifier to File Name Mapping](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure/identifier-to-file-name-mapping.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
How MariaDB maps identifiers to file names on disk.
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

{% columns %}
{% column %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/NQQ04J1PHfGoKIm8t9J4" %}
[Numeric Literals](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure/numeric-iterals.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
Numeric literal syntax for integers and decimals, including signs and exponents.
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

{% columns %}
{% column %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/Zto8VX9wEmTPw6gM1m3b" %}
[Reserved Words](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure/reserved-words.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
The list of reserved words in MariaDB.
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

{% columns %}
{% column %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/uNe0W3TdRibvP9dOowfV" %}
[Boolean Literals](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure/sql-language-structure-boolean-literals.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
Boolean literals: TRUE and FALSE as synonyms for 1 and 0.
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

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{% column %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/Ef0JiGvwMDtrQjipWPqd" %}
[Schema Qualifiers](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure/schema-qualifiers.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
Schema qualifiers manage SQL mode dependent behavior for data types and functions.
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

{% columns %}
{% column %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/5G4BAcA61S9GxpKDSs9g" %}
[String Literals](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure/string-literals.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
String literal syntax, quoting, and escape sequences.
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

{% columns %}
{% column %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/ywlH5LrNdvYPN9aReGgh" %}
[Table Value Constructors](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure/table-value-constructors.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
The VALUES table value constructor, which produces a set of rows.
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

{% columns %}
{% column %}
{% content-ref url="/pages/7vNQ4dD13JwVx8khaR1e" %}
[User-Defined Variables](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/sql-language-structure/user-defined-variables.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
Session-scoped user-defined variables (@var), and how to set and use them.
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

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