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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchData manipulation language (DML) is the group of SQL statements used to retrieve or change data stored in existing database objects. Common examples are SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, and MERGE. The exact classification varies by database product: Oracle and SQL Server count SELECT as DML, while PostgreSQL’s documentation treats data retrieval separately from its chapter on data manipulation.
What does DML mean in SQL?
DML stands for data manipulation language. It groups SQL statements by their role: working with the data held in existing tables and other database objects. Oracle defines DML as statements that access and manipulate data in existing schema objects; Microsoft describes DML as statements that affect information stored in a database.
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DML is a way to classify SQL statements, not a separate language you install or run apart from SQL. The specific inventory of statements included under the DML label depends on the database product and its documentation.
What are the common DML commands?
| Statement | Typical purpose |
|---|---|
SELECT |
Retrieves data from database objects. Oracle and SQL Server classify it as DML; PostgreSQL’s documentation discusses extraction separately. |
INSERT |
Adds rows to a table. |
UPDATE |
Changes values in existing rows. |
DELETE |
Removes rows. |
MERGE |
Conditionally updates rows or inserts rows, depending on whether they meet the statement’s matching conditions. |
These statements operate on objects that already exist. For example, INSERT adds data to a table; it does not create the table itself.
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How do DML statements look in practice?
This illustrative sequence uses an employees table and columns that must exist in the database where you run it:
SELECT * FROM employees;
INSERT INTO employees (employee_id, last_name)
VALUES (1234, 'Example');
UPDATE employees
SET last_name = 'Updated'
WHERE employee_id = 1234;
DELETE FROM employees
WHERE employee_id = 1234;The WHERE clauses limit the example update and deletion to a row with the specified employee ID. Without an appropriately restrictive condition, an UPDATE or DELETE can affect more rows than intended.
Is SELECT a DML statement?
There is no single classification shared by every database’s documentation. Oracle explicitly includes SELECT in DML, while noting that it only accesses data. SQL Server’s DML list also includes SELECT. PostgreSQL 16 organizes its documentation differently: its data-manipulation chapter covers insertion, updating, and deletion, and data extraction is covered in a later chapter. Some teaching materials label retrieval separately as query language; treat that as a convention, not a universal SQL rule.
How is DML different from DDL?
DML works with data in existing objects; DDL defines or changes database structures. An INSERT changes table contents, while a statement that creates or alters a table changes the structure. The distinction is useful, but statement categories and transaction rules should be checked against the specific database product.
How do transactions relate to DML?
A transaction can group several DML statements into one logical unit of work—for example, making related balance changes and recording a transfer as a coordinated operation. Oracle states that its DML statements do not implicitly commit the current transaction. Do not assume that this exact commit behavior applies to every database engine or configuration; consult the documentation for the product in use.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why do DML command lists differ by database?
Vendors organize statement categories according to their own products. Oracle’s DML list also includes statements such as CALL, EXPLAIN PLAN, and LOCK TABLE. Microsoft’s SQL Server list includes BULK INSERT and certain text operations. For a general introduction, the common data-retrieval and row-change statements are the most useful starting point; for edge cases, use the relevant vendor’s statement reference.
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