<-- Chapter 2: SQL Syntax

SQL Select : SELECT command describes that through which we can fetch data from MYSQL database tables OR we can say, It is used to retrieve/select data from MYSQL database.
SELECT command is used for the purposes like fetch specific column fields, fetch all the column fields, we are going to learn all these purposes below.
Let us learn the basic Syntax for SELECT command to retrieve all the column fields is :-

SELECT * 
FROM `tablename`;

Here in the SQL statement the symbol (*) describes that all the columns fields are required. Lets go in depth. Suppose we have one table users in the database and we have designed the structure like this, first_name, last_name, age, designation, register_date,update_date. So here if we do :-

SELECT * 
FROM `users`;

In the above sql statement we are fetching all the column fields from the table users. Lets organize this sql statement more , suppose in the web view page we want to display only user's first_name, last_name, age and designation. So now we will have to do a little bit change in the above sql statement. We will use the same SELECT command to retrieve these column fields. Lets see the sql statement below :-

SELECT `first_name`,`last_name`,`age`,`designation` 
FROM `users`;

In the above sql statement we are now fetching particular column fields we need. In this tutorial we will see one example through which we can learn how the things going. Lets take an example for "employees" table . We have mysql database table structure below :-

Now we will fetch specific columns here

SELECT `employee_id`,`name`,`code` 
FROM `employees`;

Now Run this above query and you will see the output below :-

Now we will fetch all (*) columns here

SELECT *
FROM `employees`;

Now Run this above query and you will see the output below :-