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PostgreSQL LIKE

The LIKE operator is used for pattern matching in string searches. Wildcards % and _ help match partial strings.

Key Topics

1. LIKE Syntax

SELECT *
FROM employees
WHERE first_name LIKE 'Jo%';

This finds any first_name starting with Jo (like John, Joe, Josh, etc.).

2. Wildcards

  • %: Matches zero or more characters.
  • _: Matches exactly one character.

Best Practices

  • Use appropriate indexes, but note that leading wildcards can hinder index use (e.g., %test).
  • Consider ILIKE (case-insensitive) for more flexible matching.

Key Takeaways

  • LIKE uses wildcards to match patterns in text-based columns.
  • ILIKE is a case-insensitive variant in PostgreSQL.
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