MySQL Keyword Compatibility Reference¶

Generated for GSP Java version 4.1.0.8 on 2026-03-15

This page was generated using hybrid static extraction from parser source files combined with runtime validation against the actual GSP parser. Re-run the extraction script after parser updates to keep this page current.

Keyword-as-Column-Name Support¶

As of version 4.1.0.8, the GSP MySQL parser includes a lexer lookahead mechanism that allows 186 vendor-unreserved keywords to be used as unquoted column names in SELECT statements.

The lookahead pre-scans the token list before parsing and converts context-specific keywords to identifiers when they appear in column-name position:

After: SELECT, ,, DISTINCT, or ALL
Before: FROM, AS, WHERE, GROUP, ORDER, HAVING, LIMIT, UNION, INTERSECT, EXCEPT, INTO, ,, ), or ;

-- Works: keyword as column name
SELECT add FROM t;

-- Works: keyword as column name
SELECT alter FROM t;

-- Works: keyword as column name
SELECT analyze FROM t;

-- Original keyword syntax also still works

Full Classification Overview¶

Out of 538 keywords recognized by the GSP MySQL parser:

Classification	Count	Description
Allowed	348	Can be used as an unquoted column name in both canonical contexts
Context-specific	189	Fails as `SELECT keyword FROM t` but works as `SELECT t.keyword FROM t`
Blocked	1	Cannot be used as an unquoted column name in either context

Context-Specific Keywords (189)¶

These keywords fail when used as bare column names (SELECT keyword FROM t) but succeed when table-qualified (SELECT t.keyword FROM t).

Keyword	Reason
`ADD`	Grammar keyword
`ALL`	SELECT qualifier
`ALTER`	Grammar keyword
`ANALYZE`	Grammar keyword
`AND`	Operator keyword
`AS`	Grammar keyword
`ASC`	Grammar keyword
`BEFORE`	Grammar keyword
`BETWEEN`	Operator keyword
`BIGINT`	Type keyword
`BINARY`	Type keyword
`BLOB`	Type keyword
`BOTH`	Grammar keyword
`BY`	Grammar keyword
`CALL`	Grammar keyword
`CASCADE`	Grammar keyword
`CASE`	Expression keyword
`CHANGE`	Grammar keyword
`CHARACTER`	Type keyword
`CHECK`	Grammar keyword
`COLLATE`	Grammar keyword
`COLUMN`	Grammar keyword
`CONDITION`	Grammar keyword
`CONSTRAINT`	Grammar keyword
`CONTINUE`	Grammar keyword
`CREATE`	Grammar keyword
`CROSS`	JOIN keyword
`CURSOR`	Grammar keyword
`DATABASES`	Grammar keyword
`DAY_HOUR`	Grammar keyword
`DAY_MICROSECOND`	Grammar keyword
`DAY_MINUTE`	Grammar keyword
`DAY_SECOND`	Grammar keyword
`DEC`	Type keyword
`DECIMAL`	Type keyword
`DECLARE`	Grammar keyword
`DELAYED`	Grammar keyword
`DELETE`	Grammar keyword
`DESC`	Grammar keyword
`DESCRIBE`	Grammar keyword
`DETERMINISTIC`	Grammar keyword
`DISTINCT`	SELECT qualifier
`DISTINCTROW`	SELECT qualifier
`DOUBLE`	Type keyword
`DROP`	Grammar keyword
`EACH`	Grammar keyword
`ELSE`	Grammar keyword
`ELSEIF`	Grammar keyword
`ENCLOSED`	Grammar keyword
`ESCAPED`	Grammar keyword
`EXISTS`	Operator keyword
`EXIT`	Grammar keyword
`EXPLAIN`	Grammar keyword
`FETCH`	Clause keyword
`FLOAT`	Type keyword
`FLOAT4`	Type keyword
`FLOAT8`	Type keyword
`FOR`	Grammar keyword
`FORCE`	Grammar keyword
`FOREIGN`	Grammar keyword
`FULLTEXT`	Grammar keyword
`GET_FORMAT`	Grammar keyword
`GRANT`	Grammar keyword
`GROUP`	Clause keyword
`HAVING`	Clause keyword
`HIGH_PRIORITY`	Grammar keyword
`HOUR_MICROSECOND`	Grammar keyword
`HOUR_MINUTE`	Grammar keyword
`HOUR_SECOND`	Grammar keyword
`IF`	Expression keyword
`IGNORE`	Grammar keyword
`INDEX`	Grammar keyword
`INFILE`	Grammar keyword
`INNER`	JOIN keyword
`INOUT`	Grammar keyword
`INSERT`	Grammar keyword
`INT`	Type keyword
`INT1`	Type keyword
`INT2`	Type keyword
`INT3`	Type keyword
`INT4`	Type keyword
`INT8`	Type keyword
`INTEGER`	Type keyword
`INTERVAL`	Type keyword
`INTO`	Clause keyword
`IS`	Operator keyword
`ITERATE`	Grammar keyword
`JOIN`	JOIN keyword
`JSON_VALUE`	Grammar keyword
`KEY`	Grammar keyword
`KEYS`	Grammar keyword
`KILL`	Grammar keyword
`LEADING`	Grammar keyword
`LEAVE`	Grammar keyword
`LIKE`	Operator keyword
`LIMIT`	Clause keyword
`LINEAR`	Grammar keyword
`LINES`	Grammar keyword
`LOAD`	Grammar keyword
`LOCK`	Grammar keyword
`LONG`	Type keyword
`LONGBLOB`	Type keyword
`LONGTEXT`	Type keyword
`LOOP`	Grammar keyword
`LOW_PRIORITY`	Grammar keyword
`MATCH`	Grammar keyword
`MEDIUMBLOB`	Type keyword
`MEDIUMINT`	Type keyword
`MEDIUMTEXT`	Type keyword
`MIDDLEINT`	Type keyword
`MINUTE_MICROSECOND`	Grammar keyword
`MINUTE_SECOND`	Grammar keyword
`MODIFIES`	Grammar keyword
`NATURAL`	JOIN keyword
`NOT`	Operator keyword
`NO_WRITE_TO_BINLOG`	Grammar keyword
`NUMERIC`	Type keyword
`OPTIMIZE`	Grammar keyword
`OPTION`	Grammar keyword
`OPTIONALLY`	Grammar keyword
`OR`	Operator keyword
`ORDER`	Clause keyword
`OUT`	Grammar keyword
`OUTER`	JOIN keyword
`OUTFILE`	Grammar keyword
`PRECISION`	Grammar keyword
`PRIMARY`	Grammar keyword
`PURGE`	Grammar keyword
`RANGE`	Grammar keyword
`READ`	Grammar keyword
`READS`	Grammar keyword
`REAL`	Type keyword
`REFERENCES`	Grammar keyword
`RENAME`	Grammar keyword
`REQUIRE`	Grammar keyword
`RESIGNAL`	Grammar keyword
`RESTRICT`	Grammar keyword
`RETURN`	Grammar keyword
`REVOKE`	Grammar keyword
`RIGHT`	JOIN keyword
`SECOND_MICROSECOND`	Grammar keyword
`SELECT`	Grammar keyword
`SEPARATOR`	Grammar keyword
`SET`	Grammar keyword
`SHOW`	Grammar keyword
`SIGNAL`	Grammar keyword
`SMALLINT`	Type keyword
`SPATIAL`	Grammar keyword
`SQL`	Grammar keyword
`SQLEXCEPTION`	Grammar keyword
`SQLSTATE`	Grammar keyword
`SQLWARNING`	Grammar keyword
`SQL_BIG_RESULT`	Grammar keyword
`SQL_BUFFER_RESULT`	Grammar keyword
`SQL_CACHE`	Grammar keyword
`SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS`	Grammar keyword
`SQL_NO_CACHE`	Grammar keyword
`SQL_SMALL_RESULT`	Grammar keyword
`SSL`	Grammar keyword
`STARTING`	Grammar keyword
`STRAIGHT_JOIN`	Grammar keyword
`TABLE`	Grammar keyword
`TERMINATED`	Grammar keyword
`THEN`	Grammar keyword
`TINYBLOB`	Type keyword
`TINYINT`	Type keyword
`TINYTEXT`	Type keyword
`TO`	Grammar keyword
`TRAILING`	Grammar keyword
`TRIGGER`	Grammar keyword
`UNION`	Clause keyword
`UNIQUE`	Grammar keyword
`UNLOCK`	Grammar keyword
`UNSIGNED`	Type keyword
`UPDATE`	Grammar keyword
`USE`	Grammar keyword
`USING`	Grammar keyword
`VARBINARY`	Type keyword
`VARCHAR`	Type keyword
`VARCHARACTER`	Grammar keyword
`VARYING`	Grammar keyword
`WEIGHT_STRING`	Grammar keyword
`WHEN`	Grammar keyword
`WHERE`	Clause keyword
`WHILE`	Grammar keyword
`WITH`	Clause keyword
`WRITE`	Grammar keyword
`YEAR_MONTH`	Grammar keyword
`ZEROFILL`	Grammar keyword

Blocked Keywords (1)¶

These keywords cannot be used as unquoted column names in either context.

Keyword	Workaround
`FROM`	`SELECT "from" FROM t`

Workaround: Double-Quoted Identifiers¶

For any keyword that fails as an unquoted column name, you can use double-quoted identifiers:

-- Blocked or context-specific keyword as column name
SELECT "from" FROM t;

-- Or use table qualification for context-specific keywords
SELECT t.add FROM t;

Scope and Limitations¶

Tested contexts: SELECT keyword FROM t and SELECT t.keyword FROM t. Other contexts (DDL column definitions, INSERT column lists, aliases) may behave differently.
Version-specific: This report reflects GSP Java version 4.1.0.8.
Case sensitivity: Keywords are case-insensitive. select, SELECT, and Select are all treated the same.

How to Report Discrepancies¶

If you encounter a keyword that behaves differently from what this page describes, please report it through your support channel. Include:

The exact SQL statement
The GSP parser version
Whether the same SQL works in MySQL

Methodology¶

Static extraction: A Python script parses the lexer (.cod) and grammar (.y) source files to identify all 538 keywords and their grammar classifications.
Runtime validation: A Java test harness validates every classification against actual TGSqlParser runtime behavior.
JSON dataset: The authoritative data is stored in docs/generated/mysql_keyword_compatibility.json.