What keyword is used in SQL to specify the fields that should be retrieved from a table?

The keyword used in SQL to specify the fields that should be retrieved from a table is "SELECT." This keyword is fundamental in SQL queries, as it directly indicates which columns of data you want to see in the result set.

When you write a SQL query, "SELECT" is typically followed by the names of the fields you wish to retrieve. For example, in the query SELECT name, age FROM users;, "name" and "age" are the fields being selected from the "users" table. Without the "SELECT" keyword, the database would not know which data you want to fetch, making it essential for querying the database effectively.

The other keywords mentioned serve different purposes in SQL: "FROM" indicates the table from which to retrieve the data, "WHERE" is used to filter records based on a specified condition, and "ORDER BY" is used to sort the result set by one or more columns. Each of these keywords is important in its context but does not play a role in specifically defining which fields to retrieve.