MariaDB syntax help.

One of the main changes that occurred in the RHCE 7 exam was the new objective regarding MariaDB. You can be a very experimented system administrator and never deals with databases. Not only you are asked to install the database system but you are also supposed to know how to create a database, create tables and manipulate SQL instructions.

SQL syntax is not so easy to learn. Even though nobody expects you to be a SQL master, correctly applying a create table statement requires some time.

Hopefully, MariaDB provides a nice solution to this problem through the help command. When you don’t remember a syntax detail, the help command should be a reflex.

MariaDB [db]> help update
Name: 'UPDATE'
Description:
Syntax:
Single-table syntax:

UPDATE [LOW_PRIORITY] [IGNORE] table_reference
SET col_name1={expr1|DEFAULT} [, col_name2={expr2|DEFAULT}] ...
[WHERE where_condition]
[ORDER BY ...]
[LIMIT row_count]

Multiple-table syntax:

UPDATE [LOW_PRIORITY] [IGNORE] table_references
SET col_name1={expr1|DEFAULT} [, col_name2={expr2|DEFAULT}] ...
[WHERE where_condition]

Sometimes like with the grant command, you even get some examples!

As usual, don’t rely too much on this feature, otherwise you will waste too much time and won’t be able to complete your exam in time.

Thanks to Sam and krz for sharing their knowledge.