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      <a name="faqs-information-schema">
      </a>
      A.7 MySQL 8.4 FAQ: INFORMATION_SCHEMA
     </h2>
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   <dl>
    <dt>
     A.7.1.
     <a href="faqs-information-schema.html#faq-mysql-where-docs-information-schema">
      Where can I find documentation for the MySQL
        INFORMATION_SCHEMA database?
     </a>
    </dt>
    <dt>
     A.7.2.
     <a href="faqs-information-schema.html#faq-mysql-where-forum-information-schema">
      Is there a discussion forum for
        INFORMATION_SCHEMA?
     </a>
    </dt>
    <dt>
     A.7.3.
     <a href="faqs-information-schema.html#faq-mysql-where-ansi-information-schema">
      Where can I find the ANSI SQL 2003 specification for
        INFORMATION_SCHEMA?
     </a>
    </dt>
    <dt>
     A.7.4.
     <a href="faqs-information-schema.html#faq-mysql-compare-oracle-data-dir-info-schema">
      What is the difference between the Oracle Data Dictionary and
        MySQL INFORMATION_SCHEMA?
     </a>
    </dt>
    <dt>
     A.7.5.
     <a href="faqs-information-schema.html#faq-mysql-can-modify-information-schema">
      Can I add to or otherwise modify the tables found in the
        INFORMATION_SCHEMA database?
     </a>
    </dt>
   </dl>
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     <tr class="question">
      <td align="left" valign="top">
       <a name="faq-mysql-where-docs-information-schema">
       </a>
       <a name="idm46045056153440">
       </a>
       <p>
        <b>
         A.7.1.
        </b>
       </p>
      </td>
      <td align="left" valign="top">
       <p>
        Where can I find documentation for the MySQL
        <code class="literal">
         INFORMATION_SCHEMA
        </code>
        database?
       </p>
      </td>
     </tr>
     <tr class="answer">
      <td align="left" valign="top">
      </td>
      <td align="left" valign="top">
       <p>
        See
        <a class="xref" href="information-schema.html" title="Chapter 28 INFORMATION_SCHEMA Tables">
         Chapter 28,
         <i>
          INFORMATION_SCHEMA Tables
         </i>
        </a>
        .
       </p>
       <p>
        You may also find the
        <a class="ulink" href="https://forums.mysql.com/list.php?20" target="_blank">
         MySQL User Forums
        </a>
        to be helpful.
       </p>
      </td>
     </tr>
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       <a name="faq-mysql-where-forum-information-schema">
       </a>
       <a name="idm46045056148880">
       </a>
       <p>
        <b>
         A.7.2.
        </b>
       </p>
      </td>
      <td align="left" valign="top">
       <p>
        Is there a discussion forum for
        <code class="literal">
         INFORMATION_SCHEMA
        </code>
        ?
       </p>
      </td>
     </tr>
     <tr class="answer">
      <td align="left" valign="top">
      </td>
      <td align="left" valign="top">
       <p>
        See the
        <a class="ulink" href="https://forums.mysql.com/list.php?20" target="_blank">
         MySQL User
        Forums
        </a>
        .
       </p>
      </td>
     </tr>
     <tr class="question">
      <td align="left" valign="top">
       <a name="faq-mysql-where-ansi-information-schema">
       </a>
       <a name="idm46045056145408">
       </a>
       <p>
        <b>
         A.7.3.
        </b>
       </p>
      </td>
      <td align="left" valign="top">
       <p>
        Where can I find the ANSI SQL 2003 specification for
        <code class="literal">
         INFORMATION_SCHEMA
        </code>
        ?
       </p>
      </td>
     </tr>
     <tr class="answer">
      <td align="left" valign="top">
      </td>
      <td align="left" valign="top">
       <p>
        Unfortunately, the official specifications are not freely
        available. (ANSI makes them available for purchase.) However,
        there are books available, such as
        <em class="citetitle">
         SQL-99 Complete,
        Really
        </em>
        by Peter Gulutzan and Trudy Pelzer, that
        provide a comprehensive overview of the standard, including
        <code class="literal">
         INFORMATION_SCHEMA
        </code>
        .
       </p>
      </td>
     </tr>
     <tr class="question">
      <td align="left" valign="top">
       <a name="faq-mysql-compare-oracle-data-dir-info-schema">
       </a>
       <a name="idm46045056141168">
       </a>
       <p>
        <b>
         A.7.4.
        </b>
       </p>
      </td>
      <td align="left" valign="top">
       <p>
        What is the difference between the Oracle Data Dictionary and
        MySQL
        <code class="literal">
         INFORMATION_SCHEMA
        </code>
        ?
       </p>
      </td>
     </tr>
     <tr class="answer">
      <td align="left" valign="top">
      </td>
      <td align="left" valign="top">
       <p>
        Both Oracle and MySQL provide metadata in tables. However,
        Oracle and MySQL use different table names and column names. The
        MySQL implementation is more similar to those found in DB2 and
        SQL Server, which also support
        <code class="literal">
         INFORMATION_SCHEMA
        </code>
        as defined in the SQL
        standard.
       </p>
      </td>
     </tr>
     <tr class="question">
      <td align="left" valign="top">
       <a name="faq-mysql-can-modify-information-schema">
       </a>
       <a name="idm46045056137488">
       </a>
       <p>
        <b>
         A.7.5.
        </b>
       </p>
      </td>
      <td align="left" valign="top">
       <p>
        Can I add to or otherwise modify the tables found in the
        <code class="literal">
         INFORMATION_SCHEMA
        </code>
        database?
       </p>
      </td>
     </tr>
     <tr class="answer">
      <td align="left" valign="top">
      </td>
      <td align="left" valign="top">
       <p>
        No. Since applications may rely on a certain standard structure,
        this should not be modified. For this reason,
        <span class="emphasis">
         <em>
          we
        cannot support bugs or other issues which result from modifying
          <code class="literal">
           INFORMATION_SCHEMA
          </code>
          tables or data
         </em>
        </span>
        .
       </p>
      </td>
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