If you are a SQL programmer, you are probably familiar with the "SHOW TABLES" command in MySQL, which provides a list of all the tables in a database. However, if you are working with Microsoft SQL Server, you may be wondering how to achieve the same functionality. In this article, we will discuss how to perform the equivalent of "SHOW TABLES" in T-SQL, the SQL dialect used in SQL Server.
Before we dive into the specific command, let's first understand the concept of tables in SQL Server. Tables are database objects that store data in a tabular format, consisting of rows and columns. They are the building blocks of a database and are used to organize and manage data efficiently. Now, let's move on to the command that will give us a list of all the tables in a database in SQL Server.
The equivalent of "SHOW TABLES" in T-SQL is the "SELECT" statement with the "FROM" clause. This statement is used to retrieve data from a table or view in the database. However, when used with a specific syntax, it can also be used to list all the tables in a database. Let's take a look at the syntax:
SELECT * FROM sys.tables
In the above statement, "sys.tables" is a system view that contains information about all the tables in the database. When we use the asterisk symbol (*) after SELECT, it means that we want to select all the columns from the specified table or view. In this case, it will give us a list of all the tables along with their attributes.
If you want to narrow down the results and only get the name of the tables, you can use the "name" column in the "sys.tables" view. Here's how the updated statement will look:
SELECT name FROM sys.tables
This will give us a list of all the table names in the database. You can also add a WHERE clause to filter the results based on specific criteria. For example, if you only want to see the tables that start with the letter "S", you can use the following statement:
SELECT name FROM sys.tables WHERE name LIKE 'S%'
This will give us a list of all the tables that start with the letter "S". You can use any wildcard characters in the LIKE clause to further refine your results.
In addition to the "sys.tables" view, there are a few other system views that contain information about the tables in a database. These include "sys.objects" and "sys.schemas". You can use these views in the same way as "sys.tables" to get a list of tables in the database.
Another way to get a list of tables in SQL Server is to use the SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). This is a graphical tool that can be used to manage SQL Server databases. To get a list of tables, simply expand the "Tables" folder under the database you are working with. This will show you all the tables in that database.
In conclusion, the equivalent of "SHOW TABLES" in T-SQL is the "SELECT" statement with the "FROM" clause, using the "sys.tables" view. You can add WHERE clauses or use the SSMS to further refine your results. With this knowledge, you can easily get a list of tables in your SQL Server database and continue with your development and analysis tasks.
