In the web development field, there is an SQL developer who decides what kind of data will be stored inside each column of the SQL table. There are different MS SQL server data types that every developer must be aware of. In this article, we have delved deeper into the insights of different types of MS SQL Server data types.
What are MS SQL Data Types?
MS SQL (Microsoft SQL Server) data types define the kind of data that can be stored in a table’s columns. SQL Server provides a wide range of data types, allowing developers to store different forms of data such as integers, text, dates, and binary data. The most commonly used data types include numeric data types (such as INT, DECIMAL, and FLOAT), character data types (such as CHAR, VARCHAR, and TEXT), and date/time data types (such as DATE, TIME, DATETIME, and TIMESTAMP). Each data type serves a specific purpose, ensuring that the data stored is optimized and managed effectively according to its type.
Numeric data types in MS SQL are essential for storing numbers, and they range from exact numeric types like INT, DECIMAL, and BIGINT, to approximately numeric types like FLOAT and REAL. Exact numeric types are typically used when precision is needed, such as in financial applications. With them, you can do complicated calculations that don’t require precision. MS SQL also includes BIT for storing binary values, which are useful in scenarios like Boolean logic, where only 0 or 1 is stored.
Character data types are used for storing textual data. CHAR is a fixed-length data type, ideal for storing small strings of a fixed size, whereas VARCHAR is a variable-length type, which helps conserve space when the length of text varies. MS SQL also includes NVARCHAR and NCHAR for storing Unicode characters, which is essential for handling multilingual text. For large blocks of text, TEXT or NTEXT types are used, though VARCHAR(MAX) is now preferred for better performance.
MS SQL Server Data Types: Different Data Values
| Data Type | Category | Description | Example |
| 1. Numeric Data Types | |||
| tinyint | Exact numeric | 8-bit signed integer | 127 |
| smallint | Exact numeric | 16-bit signed integer | 32767 |
| int | Exact numeric | 32-bit signed integer | 2147483647 |
| bigint | Exact numeric | 64-bit signed integer | 9223372036854775807 |
| decimal(precision, scale) | Exact numeric | Fixed precision decimal | 123.45 |
| numeric(precision, scale) | Exact numeric | Fixed precision decimal | 123.45 |
| float(precision) | Approximate numeric | Floating-point number | 123.45678 |
| real | Approximate numeric | Floating-point number | 123.45 |
| money | Exact numeric | Monetary data | $123.45 |
| smallmoney | Exact numeric | Monetary data | $123.45 |
| 2. Character Data Types | |||
| char(length) | Character string | Fixed-length character string | Hello’ |
| varchar(max) | Character string | Variable-length character string | This is a long string’ |
| nchar(length) | Unicode character string | Fixed-length Unicode character string | 你好’ |
| nvarchar(max) | Unicode character string | Variable-length Unicode character string | This is a long Unicode string’ |
| text | Character string | Large variable-length character string | A very long text’ |
| ntext | Unicode character string | Large variable-length Unicode character string | A very long Unicode text’ |
| 3. Other Data Types | |||
| date | Date | Date value | 2023-12-31 |
| time | Time | Time value | 12:34:56 |
| datetime | Date and time | Date and time value | 2023-12-31 12:34:56 |
| datetime2(precision) | Date and time | Date and time value with precision | 2023-12-31 12:34:56 |
| smalldatetime | Date and time | Date and time value with less precision | 2023-12-31 12:34:56 |
| timestamp | Row version | System-generated unique identifier | 0x0000000000000001 |
| uniqueidentifier | Globally unique identifier | Unique identifier | 6F9619FF-8B86-D011-B9D3-00C04FD4DC0B |
| varbinary(max) | Binary data | Variable-length binary data | 0x01020304 |
| image | Binary data | Large variable-length binary data | Binary data |
Understanding SQL Server data types is crucial for every developer aiming to build robust and efficient applications. By mastering these types, you can ensure data integrity, optimize performance, and make the most out of SQL Server’s capabilities. From selecting the right data types for your columns to leveraging advanced features like user-defined types, having a solid grasp on data types will greatly enhance your database management skills.
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