Prev Next

MySQL Wildcards

Wildcards in MySQL are used with the LIKE operator to perform pattern matching in queries. The two main wildcards are % (matches any number of characters) and _ (matches a single character).

Examples with Tamil Kings

1. Using % Wildcard for Matching Suffix

SELECT * FROM tamil_kings_auto_increment
WHERE king_name LIKE '%Chola';

Code Explanation: This query selects records where the king_name ends with 'Chola'. The % wildcard matches any sequence of characters before 'Chola'.

2. Using Multiple Wildcards

SELECT * FROM tamil_kings_auto_increment
WHERE king_name LIKE '%a%';

Code Explanation: This query selects records where the king_name contains the letter 'a' anywhere in the name.

Best Practices

  • Use wildcards effectively to broaden or narrow search results.
  • Consider indexing columns for better performance when using wildcards.

Key Takeaways

  • Wildcards % and _ are used for pattern matching.
  • They provide flexibility in searching text values.
Prev Next