LEC: INTERACTIVE DATA MANIPULATION LANGUAGE

Interactive Data Manipulation Language (DML) in SQL refers to the subset of SQL commands that are used to interactively retrieve, manipulate, and manage the data stored within a database. Unlike Data Definition Language (DDL), which focuses on defining and modifying the structure of the database, DML is concerned with querying and modifying the data itself.

SELECT: It allows users to specify which columns to retrieve, filter rows based on specified criteria using the WHERE clause, and order the results using the ORDER BY clause. 

INSERT: is used to add new rows of data into a table. Users specify the table name and provide values for each column being inserted.

UPDATE: is used to modify existing data within a table. Users specify the table name, set new values for specific columns, and optionally specify a WHERE clause to filter which rows are updated. This command is useful for making changes to existing data in the database. 

DELETE: is used to remove rows of data from a table. Users specify the table name and optionally include a WHERE clause to specify which rows should be deleted. This command permanently removes data from the database, so caution is advised when using it. 

MERGE: combines the capabilities of INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE into a single statement. It allows users to perform conditional insertions, updates, or deletions based on specified conditions, which can simplify complex data manipulation tasks.