Beginner

194. Table Alias

Learn how table aliases simplify SQL queries and make joins easier to read.

📘 Lesson 194 of 728 ⏱ 8 min 🎯 Beginner

A table alias is a temporary short name assigned to a table within a SQL statement. It allows columns to be referenced using a shorter identifier.

Table aliases make complex queries, especially joins involving multiple tables, shorter and easier to understand.

Use e as a short alias for the Employees table.

SQL 
SELECT
    e.EmployeeName,
    e.Department
FROM Employees AS e;

Table aliases are heavily used in joins, subqueries, self-joins, and complex analytical queries.

  • Table aliases provide short temporary names.
  • They improve query readability.
  • They are useful in joins.
  • They help distinguish columns from multiple tables.
  • Aliases exist only within the query.
What is a table alias?

A table alias is a temporary name assigned to a table within a SQL statement.

Why are table aliases useful in joins?

They make queries shorter and help clearly identify which table each column belongs to.

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