SQL Functions

SQL String Functions

SQL String Functions

String functions like CONCAT and SUBSTRING manipulate text, with 5–6 common options.

Introduction to SQL String Functions

SQL string functions are essential tools for managing and manipulating text data in databases. They offer a range of operations to handle strings, such as concatenating, extracting substrings, changing cases, and trimming spaces. Understanding these functions can enhance your ability to work with text data efficiently.

CONCAT Function

The CONCAT function is used to join two or more strings into a single string. It is often used to merge fields or add text to an existing string.

SUBSTRING Function

The SUBSTRING function extracts a portion of a string, starting at a specified position for a specified length. This is useful when you need to retrieve specific parts of a text field.

UPPER and LOWER Functions

The UPPER and LOWER functions convert all characters in a string to uppercase or lowercase, respectively. These functions are helpful for standardizing text data.

TRIM Function

The TRIM function removes leading and trailing spaces from a string. This is particularly useful when dealing with user input or data imports where extra spaces may be present.

CHAR_LENGTH Function

The CHAR_LENGTH function returns the number of characters in a string. This can be useful for validating data or ensuring text meets certain length requirements.

Conclusion

SQL string functions are powerful tools for text manipulation. By mastering functions like CONCAT, SUBSTRING, and others, you can efficiently manage and transform text data in your SQL databases. Explore these functions further to enhance your data processing skills.