spark-instrumented-optimizer/docs/sql-ref-syntax-aux-show-databases.md

---
layout: global
title: SHOW DATABASES
displayTitle: SHOW DATABASES
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  this work for additional information regarding copyright ownership.
  The ASF licenses this file to You under the Apache License, Version 2.0
  (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with
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---

### Description
Lists the databases that match an optionally supplied string pattern. If no
pattern is supplied then the command lists all the databases in the system.
Please note that the usage of `SCHEMAS` and `DATABASES` are interchangeable
and mean the same thing.

### Syntax
{% highlight sql %}
SHOW { DATABASES | SCHEMAS } [ LIKE string_pattern ]
{% endhighlight %}

### Parameters
<dl>
  <dt><code><em>LIKE string_pattern</em></code></dt>
  <dd>
    Specifies a string pattern that is used to match the databases in the system. In 
    the specified string pattern <code>'*'</code> matches any number of characters.
  </dd>
</dl>

### Examples
{% highlight sql %}
-- Create database. Assumes a database named `default` already exists in
-- the system. 
CREATE DATABASE payroll_db;
CREATE DATABASE payments_db;

-- Lists all the databases. 
SHOW DATABASES;
  +------------+
  |databaseName|
  +------------+
  |     default|
  | payments_db|
  |  payroll_db|
  +------------+
-- Lists databases with name starting with string pattern `pay`
SHOW DATABASES LIKE 'pay*';
  +------------+
  |databaseName|
  +------------+
  | payments_db|
  |  payroll_db|
  +------------+
-- Lists all databases. Keywords SCHEMAS and DATABASES are interchangeable. 
SHOW SCHEMAS;
  +------------+
  |databaseName|
  +------------+
  |     default|
  | payments_db|
  |  payroll_db|
  +------------+
{% endhighlight %}
### Related Statements
- [DESCRIBE DATABASE](sql-ref-syntax-aux-describe-database.html)
- [CREATE DATABASE](sql-ref-syntax-ddl-create-database.html)
- [ALTER DATABASE](sql-ref-syntax-ddl-alter-database.html)