How Do Different Databases Handle Name Quoting in SQL?

Name Quote Variation in Different Databases

In SQL, name quoting (delimited identifiers) is used to enable the usage of table and column names that contain special characters, spaces, and case-sensitive words.

Default Quote Characters

Different databases use varying quote characters by default:

• MySQL: Back-quotes (`)
• Standard SQL: Double-quotes (")
• Microsoft SQL Server and Sybase: Square brackets ([])

Supported Quote Characters

Although they have default quote characters, many databases support alternative quote styles:

• MySQL can use double-quotes with the SQL_MODE=ANSI_QUOTES setting
• Microsoft SQL Server and Sybase can use standard double-quotes with QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
• Other databases typically support double-quotes

SQL Dialect Influence

Some databases, such as InterBase and Firebird, require setting the SQL dialect to version 3 or higher to support delimited identifiers.

Importance of Delimited Identifiers

Delimiting identifiers is essential in SQL to:

• Support names with special characters, punctuation, or international characters
• Avoid case-sensitivity issues
• Allow names that match SQL keywords

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