FROM clause

Description

The FROM clause in a query lists the table references (tables, views, and subqueries) that data is selected from. If multiple table references are listed, the tables must be joined, using appropriate syntax in either the FROM clause or the WHERE clause. If no join criteria are specified, the system processes the query as a cross-join. (Redshift SQL Language Reference FROM Clause)

The FROM clause is partially supported in Snowflake. Object unpivoting is not currently supported.

Grammar Syntax

FROM table_reference [, ...]

<table_reference> ::=
with_subquery_table_name [ table_alias ]
table_name [ * ] [ table_alias ]
( subquery ) [ table_alias ]
table_reference [ NATURAL ] join_type table_reference
   [ ON join_condition | USING ( join_column [, ...] ) ]
table_reference PIVOT ( 
   aggregate(expr) [ [ AS ] aggregate_alias ]
   FOR column_name IN ( expression [ AS ] in_alias [, ...] )
) [ table_alias ]
table_reference UNPIVOT [ INCLUDE NULLS | EXCLUDE NULLS ] ( 
   value_column_name 
   FOR name_column_name IN ( column_reference [ [ AS ]
   in_alias ] [, ...] )
) [ table_alias ]
UNPIVOT expression AS value_alias [ AT attribute_alias ]

Sample Source Patterns

Input Code:

Redshift

IN -> Redshift_01.sql

CREATE TABLE employee (
  id INT,
  name VARCHAR(20),
  manager_id INT
);
  
INSERT INTO employee(id, name, manager_id) VALUES
(100, 'Carlos', null),
(101, 'John', 100),
(102, 'Jorge', 101),
(103, 'Kwaku', 101),
(110, 'Liu', 101),
(106, 'Mateo', 102),
(110, 'Nikki', 103),
(104, 'Paulo', 103),
(105, 'Richard', 103),
(120, 'Saanvi', 104),
(200, 'Shirley', 104),
(201, 'Sofía', 102),
(205, 'Zhang', 104);

CREATE TABLE department (
    id INT,
    name VARCHAR(50),
    manager_id INT
);

INSERT INTO department(id, name, manager_id) VALUES
(1, 'HR', 100),
(2, 'Sales', 101),
(3, 'Engineering', 102),
(4, 'Marketing', 103);

SELECT e.name AS employee_name, d.name AS department_name
INTO employees_in_department
FROM employee e
INNER JOIN department d ON e.manager_id = d.manager_id;

Results

EMPLOYEE_NAME	DEPARTMENT_NAME
John	HR
Jorge	Sales
Kwaku	Sales
Liu	Sales
Mateo	Engineering
Nikki	Marketing
Paulo	Marketing
Richard	Marketing
Sofía	Engineering

Output Code:

Redshift

IN -> Redshift_01.sql

CREATE TABLE employee (
  id INT,
  name VARCHAR(20),
  manager_id INT
)
COMMENT = '{ "origin": "sf_sc", "name": "snowconvert", "version": {  "major": 0,  "minor": 0,  "patch": "0" }, "attributes": {  "component": "redshift",  "convertedOn": "02/06/2025",  "domain": "test" }}';

INSERT INTO employee (id, name, manager_id) VALUES
(100, 'Carlos', null),
(101, 'John', 100),
(102, 'Jorge', 101),
(103, 'Kwaku', 101),
(110, 'Liu', 101),
(106, 'Mateo', 102),
(110, 'Nikki', 103),
(104, 'Paulo', 103),
(105, 'Richard', 103),
(120, 'Saanvi', 104),
(200, 'Shirley', 104),
(201, 'Sofía', 102),
(205, 'Zhang', 104);

CREATE TABLE department (
    id INT,
    name VARCHAR(50),
    manager_id INT
)
COMMENT = '{ "origin": "sf_sc", "name": "snowconvert", "version": {  "major": 0,  "minor": 0,  "patch": "0" }, "attributes": {  "component": "redshift",  "convertedOn": "02/06/2025",  "domain": "test" }}';

INSERT INTO department (id, name, manager_id) VALUES
(1, 'HR', 100),
(2, 'Sales', 101),
(3, 'Engineering', 102),
(4, 'Marketing', 103);

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS employees_in_department AS
  SELECT e.name AS employee_name, d.name AS department_name
  FROM
    employee e
  INNER JOIN
      department d ON e.manager_id = d.manager_id;

Results

EMPLOYEE_NAME	DEPARTMENT_NAME
John	HR
Jorge	Sales
Kwaku	Sales
Liu	Sales
Mateo	Engineering
Nikki	Marketing
Paulo	Marketing
Richard	Marketing
Sofía	Engineering

Known Issues

There are no known issues.

Related EWIs.

See SELECT transformation for related EWIs.