MySQL LIKE Clause
Overview
The LIKE operator is used for pattern matching in WHERE clauses. It searches for a specified pattern in a column, supporting wildcards for flexible matching.
LIKE Syntax
Wildcard Characters
Percent (%)
Underscore (_)
Combining Wildcards
LIKE Patterns
Starts With
Ends With
Contains
Specific Patterns
NOT LIKE / NOT LIKE
LIKE with Different Data Types
Strings
Numbers
Dates
ESCAPE Clause
Escape Default Character
Custom Escape Character
LIKE in Different Contexts
UPDATE Statement
DELETE Statement
INSERT Statement
Performance Considerations
Index Usage
Optimization Strategies
LIKE vs Other Pattern Matching
LIKE vs REGEXP
| Aspect |-------------|------|--------| | Wildcards | Performance | Flexibility | Leading wildcard | Use case
LIKE vs IN
Practical Examples
Search Functionality
Data Validation
Data Cleaning
Summary
LIKE clause provides:
- Wildcards: % (any), _ (single)
- Pattern Matching: Simple string patterns
- Case Sensitivity: Default case-insensitive
- ESCAPE: Custom escape character
- Performance: Avoid leading wildcards
- Alternatives: REGEXP for complex patterns
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