Editing Dataphor (section)

=====Syntax=====
D4 has a [[Pascal (programming language)|Pascal]]-like syntax. D4 sample code is usually written in [[UpperCamelCase]], which is also widely used in Pascal and [[Delphi (programming language)|Delphi]] systems.

Like most query languages, D4 has a [[Data Definition Language]] (DDL) and a [[Data Manipulation Language]] (DML). D4 also has an [[Imperative programming|Imperative]] Language for procedural code.

======Data Definition Language======
The DDL for Dataphor bears many similarities to other DBMSs, but with an obviously Pascal-like twist. Many of the allowed DDL operations, like constraints, allow [[relational operator|relational]] [[Declarative programming|declarative]] statements to be used, which many believe is superior to the procedural style operations used in [[SQL]].

======Data Manipulation Language======
The DML syntax at first glance may appear to be similar to [[SQL]]s syntax, but because of D4's closer ties to [[relational algebra]], the syntax has a cleaner definition, and most users greatly prefer it over SQL. {{Citation needed|date=June 2009}}

======Imperative language======
The Imperative Language in D4 is remarkably similar to Pascal in many respects. The largest distinction being that D4 also allows DDL and DML statements to be run in regular procedural code.