In MySQL, is it necessary to surround tablenames with the tickmark? I've often seen code snippets that use the tickmarks, but I've not encountered a case where not surrounding a tablename with the tickmarks does anything different than with.
It looks like the framework I work with automatically parses reserved word keynames with tickmarks.
Tickmarks are necessary when table or column names use mySQL keywords.
The tickmarks are there to distinguish the table (or column!) names from SQL reserved words. For example, without the tickmarks, a table or column named update could clash with the SQL command update.
It's best practice not to name tables and columns with reserved words in the first place, of course, but if you port an application to a new database engine (or possibly even a new MySQL version), it might have a different set of reserved words, so you may have just broken your app anyway. The tickmarks are your insurance against this sort of oops.
It's only necessary if your table name is composed of non-"word" characters (ie: anything besides letters, numbers, and underscores), or happens to be the same as a keyword in MySQL. It's never "bad" to quote the name, but it's bad not to when you have to, so many programs that generate MySQL queries will be conservative and quote the name -- it's just easier that way.
I once worked at a job where they had a database of "locations". They called it states. and had everything in tables each table was named by state code. so Missouri was MO, and Arkansas was AR.
Several state codes are also reserve words OR ( Oregon), and IN (Indiana), and ON (Ontario) ... I know not exactly a state.
Even tho I think there were better ways of organizing their database data, there are cases where people want to name things a reserved word. This is an example where the `` marks kept code working.