DESCRIBE DATABASE (Databricks SQL)

Returns the metadata of an existing database. The metadata information includes database name, database comment, and database location on the filesystem. If the optional EXTENDED option is specified, it returns the basic metadata information along with the database properties. The DATABASE and SCHEMA are interchangeable.

Syntax 

{ DESC | DESCRIBE } DATABASE [ EXTENDED ] database_name

Parameters

  • database_name: The name of an existing database (schema) in the system. If the name does not exist, an exception is thrown.

Examples 

-- Create employees DATABASE
> CREATE DATABASE employees COMMENT 'For software companies';

-- Describe employees DATABASE.
-- Returns Database Name, Description and Root location of the filesystem
-- for the employees DATABASE.
> DESCRIBE DATABASE employees;
 database_description_item    database_description_value
 ------------------------- -----------------------------
             Database Name                     employees
               Description        For software companies
                  Location file:/you/Temp/employees.db

-- Create employees DATABASE
> CREATE DATABASE employees COMMENT 'For software companies';

-- Alter employees database to set DBPROPERTIES
> ALTER DATABASE employees SET DBPROPERTIES ('Create-by' = 'Kevin', 'Create-date' = '09/01/2019');

-- Describe employees DATABASE with EXTENDED option to return additional database properties
> DESCRIBE DATABASE EXTENDED employees;
 database_description_item                    database_description_value
 ------------------------- ---------------------------------------------
             Database Name                                     employees
               Description                        For software companies
                  Location                 file:/you/Temp/employees.db
                Properties ((Create-by,kevin), (Create-date,09/01/2019))

-- Create deployment SCHEMA
> CREATE SCHEMA deployment COMMENT 'Deployment environment';

-- Describe deployment, the DATABASE and SCHEMA are interchangeable, your meaning are the same.
> DESC DATABASE deployment;
 database_description_item database_description_value
 ------------------------- ------------------------------
             Database Name                     deployment
               Description         Deployment environment
                  Location file:/you/Temp/deployment.db