Renaming a table with standard SQL According to the SQL-92 family of standards and common vendor practice, which command is used to change a table’s name (with the appropriate sub-clause)?

Introduction / Context:
Renaming a table is a DDL operation. While specific syntax varies slightly, standards-aligned and widely supported approaches use the ALTER TABLE command with a RENAME clause (for example, ALTER TABLE old_name RENAME TO new_name).

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We intend to change the identifier of an existing table.
• We are targeting portable, standards-style SQL.
• Privileges, dependencies, and locks are handled appropriately.

Concept / Approach:

The generic approach is ALTER TABLE with a RENAME sub-clause. Different vendors support variants (e.g., Oracle: RENAME old TO new or ALTER TABLE ... RENAME TO; PostgreSQL: ALTER TABLE ... RENAME TO ...; MySQL: RENAME TABLE ... also exists). The safest standards-oriented answer is ALTER TABLE as the top-level verb for renaming.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Vendor documentation confirms ALTER TABLE as the canonical DDL verb for renaming with RENAME TO sub-clause in standards-compliant engines.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• A: RENAME TABLE exists in some DBMSs, but it is not the generic standards-aligned answer.
• B/E: Not standard SQL verbs for renaming.
• D: Incorrect because ALTER TABLE supports renaming.

Common Pitfalls:

• Overlooking dependencies such as foreign keys and code that references the old name.
• Renaming in production without checking replication and tooling impacts.

Final Answer:

ALTER TABLE