SQL is a standard language for querying and manipulating data in relational databases. It contains five categories of statements: data definition language (DDL) for defining data structure, data manipulation language (DML) for managing data, data control language (DCL) for privileges, transaction control statements for transactions, and session control statements for sessions. Common DDL commands include CREATE, ALTER, and DROP for databases and tables. Common DML commands include SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE for querying and modifying data. Joins are used to combine data from two or more tables.