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MySQL DataType

MySQL is a popular relational database management system (RDBMS) that uses a wide range of data types to store different kinds of data. In this article, we will discuss the various data types supported by MySQL and how to choose the appropriate data type for your data.

MySQL supports different data types for different purposes, such as storing integers, floating-point numbers, strings, dates, times, and more. The following are the main data types in MySQL:

  1. Numeric data types

Numeric data types are used to store numbers, including integers and floating-point numbers. Some of the most commonly used numeric data types in MySQL are:

  • TINYINT: Stores small integers from -128 to 127 or unsigned integers from 0 to 255.

  • SMALLINT: Stores small integers from -32,768 to 32,767 or unsigned integers from 0 to 65,535.

  • INT: Stores integers from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647 or unsigned integers from 0 to 4,294,967,295.

  • BIGINT: Stores large integers from -9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807 or unsigned integers from 0 to 18,446,744,073,709,551,615.

  • FLOAT: Stores floating-point numbers from -3.402823466E+38 to -1.175494351E-38, 0, and from 1.175494351E-38 to 3.402823466E+38.

  • DOUBLE: Stores double-precision floating-point numbers from -1.7976931348623157E+308 to -2.2250738585072014E-308, 0, and from 2.2250738585072014E-308 to 1.7976931348623157E+308.

  1. String data types

String data types are used to store text and character data. Some of the most commonly used string data types in MySQL are:

  • CHAR: Stores fixed-length strings up to 255 characters.

  • VARCHAR: Stores variable-length strings up to 65,535 characters.

  • TEXT: Stores large strings up to 65,535 characters.

  1. Date and time data types

Date and time data types are used to store date and time values. Some of the most commonly used date and time data types in MySQL are:

  • DATE: Stores date values in the format ‘YYYY-MM-DD’.

  • TIME: Stores time values in the format ‘HH:MM:SS’.

  • DATETIME: Stores date and time values in the format ‘YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS’.

  • TIMESTAMP: Stores date and time values in the format ‘YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS’, similar to DATETIME. However, TIMESTAMP has a narrower range of values and is more efficient for storing date and time values that are expected to change frequently.

  1. Boolean data types

Boolean data types are used to store true/false or on/off values. In MySQL, the BOOLEAN data type is an alias for TINYINT(1) and can be used to store values of 0 or 1.

Choosing the appropriate data type

Choosing the appropriate data type is important for optimizing performance and reducing storage requirements in your MySQL database. Here are some tips for choosing the appropriate data type for your data:

  • Choose the smallest data type that can accommodate your data. For example, if you know that your data will never exceed 255 characters, use the CHAR data type instead of VARCHAR.

  • Use the appropriate data type for the data you are storing. For example, use the DATE data type for date values and the TIME data