SHOW有多种形式，可以提供有关数据库、表、列或服务器状态的信息。本节叙述以下内容：
SHOW [FULL] COLUMNS FROM tbl_name [FROM db_name] [LIKE 'pattern']
SHOW CREATE DATABASE db_name
SHOW CREATE TABLE tbl_name
SHOW DATABASES [LIKE 'pattern']
SHOW ENGINE engine_name {LOGS | STATUS }
SHOW [STORAGE] ENGINES
SHOW ERRORS [LIMIT [offset,] row_count]
SHOW GRANTS FOR user
SHOW INDEX FROM tbl_name [FROM db_name]
SHOW INNODB STATUS
SHOW [BDB] LOGS
SHOW PRIVILEGES
SHOW [FULL] PROCESSLIST
SHOW [GLOBAL | SESSION] STATUS [LIKE 'pattern']
SHOW TABLE STATUS [FROM db_name] [LIKE 'pattern']
SHOW [OPEN] TABLES [FROM db_name] [LIKE 'pattern']
SHOW TRIGGERS
SHOW [GLOBAL | SESSION] VARIABLES [LIKE 'pattern']
SHOW WARNINGS [LIMIT [offset,] row_count]
SHOW语句还有一些形式，可以提供有关复制型主服务器和从属服务器的信息。这些形式在13.6节，“复制语句”中进行了叙述。
SHOW BINLOG EVENTS SHOW MASTER LOGS SHOW MASTER STATUS SHOW SLAVE HOSTS SHOW SLAVE STATUS
如果一个给定的SHOW语句的语法包括一个LIKE 'pattern'部分，则'pattern'是一个可以包含SQL ‘%’和‘_’通配符的字符串。对于把语句输出值限定为匹配值，本样式是有用的。