Data Definition Language
The SQL Data Definition Language (DDL) is a subset of the SQL language and consists
of all SQL statements that support the definition of database objects.
Purpose
Data definition language statements perform the following functions:
Create, drop, rename, alter, modify, and replace database objects
Comment on database objects
Collect statistics on a column set or index
Establish a default database
Set a different collation sequence, account priority, DateForm, time zone, and database
for the session
Set roles
Set the query band for a session or transaction
Begin and end logging
Enable and disable online archiving for all tables in a database or a specific set
of tables
Rules on Entering DDL Statements
A DDL statement can be entered as:
A single-statement request.
The solitary statement, or the last statement, in an explicit transaction (in Teradata
mode, one or more requests enclosed by user‑supplied BEGIN TRANSACTION and END TRANSACTION
statement, or in ANSI mode, one or more requests ending with the COMMIT keyword).
The solitary statement in a macro.
DDL statements cannot be entered as part of a multistatement request.
Successful execution of a DDL statement automatically creates and updates entries
in the Data Dictionary.
SQL DDL Statements
For detailed information about the function, syntax, and usage of Teradata SQL Data
Definition statements, see SQL Data Definition Language.