Database Naming Conventions by Microsoft?

by

The naming conventions used in SQL Server’s AdventureWorks database demonstrate many best practices in terms of style.

To summarize:

  • Object names are easily understood
  • Table names are not pluralized
    (“User” table not “Users”)
  • Abbreviations are few, but allowed
    (i.e. Qty, Amt, etc.)
  • PascalCase used exclusively with the
    exception of certain column names
    (i.e. rowguid)
  • No underscores
  • Certain keywords are allowed (i.e.
    Name)
  • Stored procedures are prefaced with
    “usp”
  • Functions are prefaced with “ufn”

You can find more details here:

One caveat: database naming conventions can be very controversial and most database developers I’ve met have a personal stake in their style. I’ve heard heated arguments over whether a table should be named “OrderHeader” or “OrderHeaders.”

More Related Contents:

  1. How do I perform an IF…THEN in an SQL SELECT?
  2. Inserting multiple rows in a single SQL query? [duplicate]
  3. Passing a varchar full of comma delimited values to a SQL Server IN function
  4. SQL update query using joins
  5. Is there a combination of “LIKE” and “IN” in SQL?
  6. How can I list all foreign keys referencing a given table in SQL Server?
  7. In SQL, how can you “group by” in ranges?
  8. T-SQL: Deleting all duplicate rows but keeping one [duplicate]
  9. Split function equivalent in T-SQL?
  10. Selecting COUNT(*) with DISTINCT
  11. Only one expression can be specified in the select list when the subquery is not introduced with EXISTS
  12. SQL: IF clause within WHERE clause
  13. Is having an ‘OR’ in an INNER JOIN condition a bad idea?
  14. SQL Server – How to lock a table until a stored procedure finishes
  15. Where value in column containing comma delimited values
  16. What is SYSNAME data type in SQL Server?
  17. What is the difference between using a cross join and putting a comma between the two tables?
  18. Bulk DELETE on SQL Server 2008 (Is there anything like Bulk Copy (bcp) for delete data?)
  19. Pivot using SQL Server 2000
  20. How to drop SQL default constraint without knowing its name?
  21. Sequence vs identity
  22. How to update and order by using ms sql
  23. How to store image in SQL Server database tables column [duplicate]
  24. Can I set ignore_dup_key on for a primary key?
  25. SQL Server replace, remove all after certain character
  26. How to find column names for all tables in all databases in SQL Server
  27. Inserting rows into a table with one IDENTITY column only [duplicate]
  28. SQL Row_Number() function in Where Clause
  29. When using GETDATE() in many places, is it better to use a variable?
  30. How do I compare 2 rows from the same table (SQL Server)?

Leave a Comment