SQL stands for Structured Query Language. SQL is a standard programming language specifically designed for storing, retrieving, managing or manipulating the data inside a relational database management system (RDBMS). SQL became an ISO standard in 1987. SQL is the most widely-implemented database language and supported by the popular relational database systems, like MySQL, SQL Server, and Oracle. However, some features of the SQL standard are implemented differently in different database systems. SQL was originally developed at IBM in the early 1970s. Initially it was called SEQUEL (Structured English Query Language) which was later changed to SQL (pronounced as S-Q-L).