Which DDL command is used to create a new database?

Creating a new database is accomplished using the Data Definition Language (DDL) command known as CREATE. This command is designed specifically for defining and establishing new database objects, including databases, tables, and schemas within a database management system (DBMS). When you use the CREATE command, you provide the necessary specifications that describe how the new database should be structured, such as its name and attributes.

For instance, a typical CREATE DATABASE statement in SQL might look like this: CREATE DATABASE example_db;. This command initiates the process of creating an empty database that can then hold various forms of data organized within tables.

The other choices have different purposes. ALTER is used to modify existing database structures, DROP is meant to remove databases or objects from the database entirely, and UPDATE is a Data Manipulation Language (DML) command used to change existing records in a database table. These commands do not serve the function of creating new databases, which is why CREATE is the correct choice here.