SQL Data Type

SQL data types define the kind of data that can be stored in a column or variable within a database table. Each column or variable in a table is assigned a specific data type, which determines the type of values it can hold. Here are some common SQL data types:

  1. Numeric Types:

    • INT or INTEGER: Whole numbers, typically used for storing integers.
    • DECIMAL or NUMERIC: Fixed-point numbers with a specified precision and scale.
    • FLOAT or REAL: Floating-point numbers with decimal precision.
    • DOUBLE or DOUBLE PRECISION: Double-precision floating-point numbers.

  2. Character Types:

    • CHAR: Fixed-length character strings with a specified length.
    • VARCHAR or VARCHAR2: Variable-length character strings with a maximum length.
    • TEXT: Variable-length character strings for storing large amounts of text.

  3. Date and Time Types:

    • DATE: Stores a date value.
    • TIME: Stores a time value.
    • TIMESTAMP: Stores a date and time value.
    • DATETIME: Stores a combination of date and time with a specified format.

  4. Boolean Type:

    • BOOLEAN or BOOL: Stores true or false values.

  5. Binary Types:

    • BINARY: Fixed-length binary data.
    • VARBINARY: Variable-length binary data.
    • BLOB: Binary large objects for storing large amounts of binary data.

  6. Other Types:

    • ENUM: A list of predefined values that a column can take.
    • SET: A collection of predefined values where multiple values can be chosen.

These are just some of the commonly used SQL data types. Different database management systems may have additional data types or variations of these types. It's important to consider the specific requirements of your database and choose the appropriate data type for each column or variable to ensure data integrity and efficiency in storing and retrieving data.

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