data definition language

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

Data definition language

   <language, database> (DDL)

   1. A language enabling the structure and instances of a
   {database} to be defined in a human-, and machine-readable
   form.

   {SQL} contains DDL commands that can be used either
   interactively, or within programming language {source code},
   to define databases and their components, e.g. CREATE and
   DROP.

   See also {Data manipulation language} (DML).

   2. A specification language for databases, based on the
   {entity-relationship model}.  It is used in the {Eli}
   {compiler-compiler} to manage type definitions.

   ["DDL Reference Manual", ECE Dept U Colorado, 1991].

   (1999-04-26)