SQL Views

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💻 Introduction

A View in SQL is a virtual table created from the result of a query. It doesn’t store data itself but provides a saved query that you can reuse like a table. Views help simplify complex queries, improve readability, and enhance security.

1️⃣ CREATE VIEW – Creating a View

The CREATE VIEW statement defines a new view based on a query.

CREATE VIEW EmployeeSalaries AS
SELECT EmpID, FirstName, LastName, Salary
FROM Employees
WHERE Salary > 50000;

Now, you can query the view like a table:

SELECT * FROM EmployeeSalaries;
Tip: Views don’t store data separately; they always fetch the latest data from underlying tables.

2️⃣ ALTER VIEW – Modifying a View

The ALTER VIEW statement modifies an existing view definition.

ALTER VIEW EmployeeSalaries AS
SELECT EmpID, FirstName, LastName, Salary, Department
FROM Employees
WHERE Salary > 60000;

3️⃣ DROP VIEW – Deleting a View

The DROP VIEW statement removes a view permanently.

DROP VIEW EmployeeSalaries;
Tip: Dropping a view doesn’t delete the underlying data. It only removes the saved query definition.

✅ Key Takeaways

  • CREATE VIEW → Save a query as a reusable virtual table
  • ALTER VIEW → Update the definition of an existing view
  • DROP VIEW → Remove a view (data remains intact)
  • Views help simplify complex SQL queries and improve readability
  • Good for security → expose only necessary columns to users

📘 Quick Reference – SQL View Operations

Operation SQL Command
Create View CREATE VIEW view_name AS SELECT ...;
Alter View ALTER VIEW view_name AS SELECT ...;
Drop View DROP VIEW view_name;

📚 Continue Learning

💬 Got a question about SQL Views? Drop it in the comments below and let’s discuss!




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