sql server - What is the use of the square brackets [] in sql statements?

Question

I've noticed that Visual Studio 2008 is placing square brackets around column names in sql. Do the brackets offer any advantage? When I hand code T-SQL I've never bothered with them.

Example:

Visual Studio:

SELECT [column1], [column2] etc...

My own way:

SELECT column1, column2 etc...

Answer 1

The brackets are required if you use keywords or special chars in the column names or identifiers. You could name a column [First Name] (with a space) – but then you'd need to use brackets every time you referred to that column.

The newer tools add them everywhere just in case or for consistency.