In SQL, which keyword is used to specify the columns to retrieve in a SELECT statement?

In SQL, the keyword used to specify the columns to retrieve in a SELECT statement is SELECT. This keyword is fundamental as it initiates a query and indicates the request to fetch data from a database. After SELECT, the specific columns that you want to retrieve are listed, allowing the user to customize the output based on their needs.

The other keywords mentioned are used for different purposes within a SQL query. FROM is utilized to designate the table from which the data should be pulled. WHERE is used to filter records based on specified conditions, allowing for more precise queries by narrowing results. JOIN is involved in combining rows from two or more tables based on a related column, enabling complex data retrieval when data is spread across multiple tables. Each of these plays a critical role in SQL queries, but none directly specify the columns to retrieve like SELECT does.