SQL Parsing Overview

A SQL parser is a tool that reads SQL code and converts it into a format that can be understood and processed by a computer. The parser is an important component of any metadata management system like Dataedo as it allows them to analyze SQL queries and fetch the relevant metadata.

This documentation will provide you with information on where the Dataedo SQL parser is used.

Extract information from PL/SQL packages

We use our SQL parser to break PL/SQL packages into individual objects - functions and stored procedures with parameters and scripts.

Import schema

Data Definition Language (DDL) is a subset of SQL that is used to describe database structure and relationships in a database. With the help of an SQL Parser, Dataedo imports the schema based on the given DDL. Read more.

Supported dialects

This function is available in the following dialects:

• PostgreSQL (inc. Redshift)
• Transact-SQL (SQL Server/Azure SQL/Aure Synapse)

Retrieve column-level lineage from SELECT/CREATE VIEW statements

Dataedo will create column-level data lineage for views and SQL queries based on the script. Just leave the "Automatic lineage" option selected during import.

If you disable the this feature during import, you will still be able to trigger the automated creation of column-level lineage through the "Parse Script to Lineage" functionality, which is located in the Script tab.

This function also works for manually added views that was created using a script, as well as for SQL Query objects.

Supported dialects

This function is available in the following dialects:

• MySQL (incl. MariaDB)
• PostgreSQL (inc. Redshift)
• PL/SQL (Oracle)
• Transact-SQL (SQL Server/Azure SQL/Aure Synapse)

Supported SQL syntax

We support the creation of an automatic lineage in all dialects for the following SQL syntax:

• SELECT and CREATE VIEW statements,
• Aliases,
• Functions and operators,
• UNIONs,
• JOINs,
• Subqueries and nested queries,
• CASEs and other logic-related expressions,

If any dialect supports additional SQL syntax there will be information about it on its subpage.

We do not support the creation of an automatic lineage for the following SQL syntax:

• Statements that access nested data such JSON, XML, or objects as columns
• PIVOT and UNPIVOT relational operators,
• Recursive Common Table Expressions (Recursive CTE),
• Dynamic queries,
• Window functions.