Introduction

In this article, we will learn how to use the LIKE operator with a SQL select query.

To search for a specified pattern in the column, The LIKE operator is used in a WHERE clause.

Usually, there are two wildcards used in conjunction with the LIKE operator:

• % (Percent): It can be used to represents zero, one, or multiple characters.
• _ (Underscore ): It can be used to represents a single character.

The % (Percent) and the _ (Underscore) can also be used in combinations.

Syntax

SELECT column_name(s)
FROM TABLE_NAME
WHERE columnN LIKE pattern;

Example-1

The subsequent statement would return all articles with a Title starting with “I”.

SELECT * FROM Article
WHERE Title LIKE 'I%';

Example-2

The subsequent statement would return all articles with a Title NOT starting with “I”.

SELECT * FROM Article 
WHERE Title NOT LIKE 'I%';

Example-3

The subsequent statement would return all articles with a Title that have “t” in the third position.

SELECT * FROM Article 
WHERE Title LIKE '__t%';

Also, check How To Use TOP Clause In SQL