SQL syntax error 'GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY'

Question

I am trying to upload this file to netbeans however I am unable to create the authors table and continue to receive the following error:

CREATE TABLE authors (
   authorID INT NOT NULL GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY,
   firstName varchar (20) NOT NULL,
   lastName varchar (30) NOT NULL,
   PRIMARY KEY (authorID)
);

INSERT INTO authors (firstName, lastName)
VALUES 
   ('Paul','Deitel'), 
   ('Harvey','Deitel'),
   ('Abbey','Deitel'), 
   ('Dan','Quirk'),
   ('Michael','Morgano');

[Warning, Error code 1,064, SQLState 42000] You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY, firstName varchar (20) NOT NULL, lastName va' at line 2

[Exception, Error code 1,064, SQLState 42000] You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'GENERATED ALWAYS AS IDENTITY, firstName varchar (20) NOT NULL, lastName va' at line 2 Line 2, column 1

[Warning, Error code 1,146, SQLState 42S02] Table 'books.authors' doesn't exist

I have been searching all over the web for hours and have yet to find an answer! I am new to SQL so I apologize if this is a duplicate question. I am using MYSQL version 5.7.18

Answer 1

There are seval things wrong:

1. identity is SQL Server syntax, MySQL uses auto_increment
2. <name> <type> generated always as <calculation> applies to calculated columns.

Try:

CREATE TABLE authors (
   authorID INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
   firstName varchar (20) NOT NULL,
   lastName varchar (30) NOT NULL,
   PRIMARY KEY (authorID)
);