# CURRENT_USER function

When used outside stored routines, the CURRENT_USER, USER, and SESSION_USER functions all return the authorization identifier of the user that created the SQL session.

See USER function and SESSION_USER function for details on those functions.

SESSION_USER also always returns this value when used within stored routines.

If used within a stored routine created with EXTERNAL SECURITY DEFINER, however, CURRENT_USER and USER return the authorization identifier of the user that owns the schema of the routine. This is usually the creating user, although the database owner could be the creator as well.

For information about definer's and invoker's rights, see CREATE PROCEDURE statement or CREATE FUNCTION statement.

These functions return a string of up to 128 characters.

## Syntax

    CURRENT_USER

## Example

    VALUES CURRENT_USER

Parent topic: Built-in functions