Data Manipulation Language (DML)

Constraints and Limitations

• Flink SQL uses a lexical policy for identifier (table, attribute, function names) similar to Java:
  • The case of identifiers is preserved whether they are quoted.
  • Identifiers are matched case-sensitively.
  • Unlike Java, back-ticks allow identifiers to contain non-alphanumeric characters (for example, SELECT a AS `my field` FROM t).
• String literals must be enclosed in single quotes (for example, SELECT'Hello World'). Duplicate a single quote for escaping (for example, SELECT 'It''s me.'). Unicode characters are supported in string literals. If explicit Unicode points are required, use the following syntax:
  • Use the backslash (\) as an escaping character (default): SELECT U&'\263A'
  • Use a custom escaping character: SELECT U&'#263A' UESCAPE '#'

Syntax

INSERT INTO table_name [PARTITION part_spec] query

part_spec:  (part_col_name1=val1 [, part_col_name2=val2, ...])

query:
  values
  | {
      select
      | selectWithoutFrom
      | query UNION [ ALL ] query
      | query EXCEPT query
      | query INTERSECT query
    }
    [ ORDER BY orderItem [, orderItem ]* ]
    [ LIMIT { count | ALL } ]
    [ OFFSET start { ROW | ROWS } ]
    [ FETCH { FIRST | NEXT } [ count ] { ROW | ROWS } ONLY]

orderItem:
  expression [ ASC | DESC ]

select:
  SELECT [ ALL | DISTINCT ]
  { * | projectItem [, projectItem ]* }
  FROM tableExpression
  [ WHERE booleanExpression ]
  [ GROUP BY { groupItem [, groupItem ]* } ]
  [ HAVING booleanExpression ]
  [ WINDOW windowName AS windowSpec [, windowName AS windowSpec ]* ]

selectWithoutFrom:
  SELECT [ ALL | DISTINCT ]
  { * | projectItem [, projectItem ]* }

projectItem:
  expression [ [ AS ] columnAlias ]
  | tableAlias . *

tableExpression:
  tableReference [, tableReference ]*
  | tableExpression [ NATURAL ] [ LEFT | RIGHT | FULL ] JOIN tableExpression [ joinCondition ]

joinCondition:
  ON booleanExpression
  | USING '(' column [, column ]* ')'

tableReference:
  tablePrimary
  [ matchRecognize ]
  [ [ AS ] alias [ '(' columnAlias [, columnAlias ]* ')' ] ]

tablePrimary:
  [ TABLE ] [ [ catalogName . ] schemaName . ] tableName
  | LATERAL TABLE '(' functionName '(' expression [, expression ]* ')' ')'
  | UNNEST '(' expression ')'

values:
  VALUES expression [, expression ]*

groupItem:
  expression
  | '(' ')'
  | '(' expression [, expression ]* ')'
  | CUBE '(' expression [, expression ]* ')'
  | ROLLUP '(' expression [, expression ]* ')'
  | GROUPING SETS '(' groupItem [, groupItem ]* ')'

windowRef:
    windowName
  | windowSpec

windowSpec:
    [ windowName ]
    '('
    [ ORDER BY orderItem [, orderItem ]* ]
    [ PARTITION BY expression [, expression ]* ]
    [
        RANGE numericOrIntervalExpression {PRECEDING}
      | ROWS numericExpression {PRECEDING}
    ]
    ')'

matchRecognize:
      MATCH_RECOGNIZE '('
      [ PARTITION BY expression [, expression ]* ]
      [ ORDER BY orderItem [, orderItem ]* ]
      [ MEASURES measureColumn [, measureColumn ]* ]
      [ ONE ROW PER MATCH ]
      [ AFTER MATCH
            ( SKIP TO NEXT ROW
            | SKIP PAST LAST ROW
            | SKIP TO FIRST variable
            | SKIP TO LAST variable
            | SKIP TO variable )
      ]
      PATTERN '(' pattern ')'
      [ WITHIN intervalLiteral ]
      DEFINE variable AS condition [, variable AS condition ]*
      ')'

measureColumn:
      expression AS alias

pattern:
      patternTerm [ '|' patternTerm ]*

patternTerm:
      patternFactor [ patternFactor ]*

patternFactor:
      variable [ patternQuantifier ]

patternQuantifier:
      '*'
  |   '*?'
  |   '+'
  |   '+?'
  |   '?'
  |   '??'
  |   '{' { [ minRepeat ], [ maxRepeat ] } '}' ['?']
  |   '{' repeat '}'