# General Rules

[](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/talend-data-catalog/Content/developer-guide/metadata-query-language-mql/general-rules.htm)

A *MQL query* has a SELECT list, a FROM clause, an optional CONTEXT clause, an optional WHERE clause, and an optional ORDER BY clause.

MQL is case-insensitive except for attribute names used in the SELECT list, WHERE or ORDER BY clause, and certain filter values in the WHERE clause.