---
title: Quotation
description: Single quotation marks (') are used in the string literal syntax. Double quotation marks (") are used to quote identifiers.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/core/reference/influxql/quoting/
estimated_tokens: 380
product: InfluxDB 3 Core
version: core
publisher: InfluxData
canonical: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/core/reference/influxql/quoting/
date: '2025-01-13T07:21:11-07:00'
lastmod: '2025-01-13T07:21:11-07:00'
---

InfluxQL supports both single and double quotation marks, but they each function
differently and serve different purposes.

* [Single quotes](#single-quotes)
* [Double quotes](#double-quotes)

## Single quotes

Use single quotation marks (`'`) in the[string literal](/influxdb3/core/reference/influxql/#strings) and[timestamp literal](/influxdb3/core/reference/influxql/#dates--times) syntax.

In the following example, the `WHERE` clause evaluates the value of the `room` tag.
Tags only contain string values, so the right operand of the predicate expression
should be a string literal.

```sql
... WHERE room = 'Kitchen'
```

## Double quotes

Use double quotation marks (`"`) to quote [identifiers](/influxdb3/core/reference/influxql/#identifiers).
Identifiers **must** be double-quoted in the following cases:

* The identifier contains non-word characters.
  Word characters are defined as `[a-z,A-Z,0-9,_]`.
* The identifier is case-sensitive.
* The identifier contains [InfluxQL keywords](/influxdb3/core/reference/influxql/#keywords).
* The identifier begins with a digit.

Double-quoted identifiers can also:

* Contain any Unicode character except for a new line.
* Contain escaped `"` characters (for example: `\"`).
* Include [InfluxQL keywords](/influxdb3/core/reference/influxql/#keywords).

**While not always necessary, we recommend that you double quote identifiers.**

InfluxQL quoting guidelines differ from[line protocol quoting guidelines](/influxdb3/core/reference/syntax/line-protocol/#quotes).