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These are **classes of SQL commands** that group database operations by purpose:

### 1. DDL (Data Definition Language)

Used to **create and change the database's structure**.
Example commands:

- `CREATE TABLE`, create a table
- `ALTER TABLE`, change a table (add a column, change a data type)
- `DROP TABLE`, delete a table

**The gist:** manages structure, not data.

### 2. DML (Data Manipulation Language)

Used to **add, change, delete, and retrieve data**.
Example commands:

- `SELECT`, retrieve data
- `INSERT`, insert a new record
- `UPDATE`, change an existing record
- `DELETE`, delete a record

**The gist:** works with the actual data inside tables.

### 3. DCL (Data Control Language)

Used to **manage user rights and security**.
Example commands:

- `GRANT`, give a user rights
- `REVOKE`, take rights away

**The gist:** controls who's allowed to do what in the database.

### 4. TCL (Transaction Control Language)

Used to **manage the logic of running groups of operations (transactions)**.
Example commands:

- `COMMIT`, confirm changes
- `ROLLBACK`, undo changes
- `SAVEPOINT`, create a save point inside a transaction

**The gist:** ensures data integrity when several operations run at once.

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