What is the difference between single and double quotes in SQL?

Single quotes are used to indicate the beginning and end of a string in SQL. Double quotes generally aren't used in SQL, but that can vary from database to database.

Stick to using single quotes.

That's the primary use anyway. You can use single quotes for a column alias — where you want the column name you reference in your application code to be something other than what the column is actually called in the database. For example: PRODUCT.id would be more readable as product_id, so you use either of the following:

• SELECT PRODUCT.id AS product_id
• SELECT PRODUCT.id 'product_id'

Either works in Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL… but I know some have said that the TOAD IDE seems to give some grief when using the single quotes approach.

You do have to use single quotes when the column alias includes a space character, e.g., product id, but it's not recommended practice for a column alias to be more than one word.

A simple rule for us to remember what to use in which case:

• [S]ingle quotes are for [S]trings ; [D]ouble quotes are for [D]atabase identifiers;

In MySQL and MariaDB, the ` (backtick) symbol is the same as the " symbol. You can use " when your SQL_MODE has ANSI_QUOTES enabled.

Single quotes delimit a string constant or a date/time constant.

Double quotes delimit identifiers for e.g. table names or column names. This is generally only necessary when your identifier doesn't fit the rules for simple identifiers.

See also:

• Do different databases use different name quote?

You can make MySQL use double-quotes per the ANSI standard:

SET GLOBAL SQL_MODE=ANSI_QUOTES

You can make Microsoft SQL Server use double-quotes per the ANSI standard:

SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON