system.databases ​

The managed database inventory is available through the server before a database is selected. Names are case-insensitive.

Columns ​

INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE support validated inventory management after database selection. Use CREATE DATABASE for ordinary creation and USE to select a database; ordinary table DDL manages the objects within it.

Example ​

SELECT name
FROM system.databases
WHERE name = 'data'
FORMAT csv;

"data"

Always qualify the relation with system. A standalone embedded application opens a file or in-memory database through Connection instead of using this inventory.

See CREATE DATABASE, USE and deployment modes.