SQL LIKE OPERATOR
SQL LIKE operator is used to search for a specifid pattern in a column with the WHERE condition clause.
Types of LIKE Operator
Two wildcards are used to along with the LIKE operator to retrieve data.
- % [Percent] - Sign represents ZERO or Multiple characters.
- _ [Underscore] - Sign represent a single character.
LIKE Operator Syntax
SELECT column_1, column_2, column_3, ....
FROM table_name
WHERE column_name LIKE pattern;
LIKE Operator Pattern
| Patterns with Operator |
Description |
| Where column_name LIKE 'b%' |
Finds any values that START with "b" in that column |
| Where column_name LIKE '%b' |
Finds any values that END with "b" in that column |
| Where column_name LIKE '%b%' |
Finds any values that have "b" in any position |
| Where column_name LIKE '_a%' |
Finds any values that have "a" in any seccond position |
| Where column_name LIKE 'b__%' |
Finds any values that START with "b" and at least 3 characters in lenght |
| Where column_name LIKE 'b%c' |
Finds any values that START with "b" and END with "c" |
Student Table
A table of student records, the name of table is "Student", and the name of columns are [ROLL_NO, STUDENT_NAME, ADDRESS, MOBILE_NO, AGE, and BRANCH]:
| ROLL_NO |
STUDENT_NAME |
ADDRESS |
MOBILE_NO |
AGE |
BRANCH |
| 1 |
Mohit Sharma |
Delhi |
XXXXXXXX87 |
20 |
IT |
| 2 |
Pooja Pandit |
Kolkata |
XXXXXXXX34 |
18 |
CSE |
| 3 |
Priya Pandey |
Delhi |
XXXXXXXX62 |
19 |
EEE |
| 4 |
Mohit Kumar Jha |
Allahabad U.P |
XXXXXXXX87 |
20 |
ECE |
| 5 |
Shevani Shree |
Noida U.P |
XXXXXXXX51 |
17 |
IT |
| 6 |
Badshah |
Mumbai |
XXXXXXXX02 |
20 |
Civil |
| 7 |
Viki Mohan |
Pune |
XXXXXXXX72 |
19 |
CSE |
| 8 |
Sona Kaur |
Indor M.P |
XXXXXXXX81 |
22 |
ME |
Example of LIKE Operator 'b%'
SELECT *
FROM Student
WHERE STUDENT_NAME LIKE 'p%';
Result Look Like
| ROLL_NO |
STUDENT_NAME |
ADDRESS |
MOBILE_NO |
AGE |
BRANCH |
| 2 |
Pooja Pandit |
Kolkata |
XXXXXXXX34 |
18 |
CSE |
| 3 |
Priya Pandey |
Delhi |
XXXXXXXX62 |
19 |
EEE |
Example of LIKE Operator '%a'
SELECT *
FROM Student
WHERE STUDENT_NAME LIKE '%a';
Result Look Like
| ROLL_NO |
STUDENT_NAME |
ADDRESS |
MOBILE_NO |
AGE |
BRANCH |
| 1 |
Mohit Sharma |
Delhi |
XXXXXXXX87 |
20 |
IT |
| 4 |
Mohit Kumar Jha |
Allahabad U.P |
XXXXXXXX87 |
20 |
ECE |
Example of LIKE Operator '_o%'
SELECT *
FROM Student
WHERE STUDENT_NAME LIKE '_o%';
Result Look Like
| ROLL_NO |
STUDENT_NAME |
ADDRESS |
MOBILE_NO |
AGE |
BRANCH |
| 1 |
Mohit Sharma |
Delhi |
XXXXXXXX87 |
20 |
IT |
| 2 |
Pooja Pandit |
Kolkata |
XXXXXXXX34 |
18 |
CSE |
| 4 |
Mohit Kumar Jha |
Allahabad U.P |
XXXXXXXX87 |
20 |
ECE |
| 8 |
Sona Kaur |
Indor M.P |
XXXXXXXX81 |
22 |
ME |