Introduction
In this article, we will learn how to use the LIKE operator with wildcard characters in SQL.
To substitute one or more characters in a string a Wildcard character is used.
Wildcard characters are used with the LIKE operator in SQL. To search for a specified pattern in the column, The LIKE operator is used in a WHERE clause.
The Wildcard characters used in SQL are tabled below. All the wildcards can also be used in combinations!
| Symbol | Description |
|---|---|
| % | It represents zero or more characters. |
| _ | It represents a single character. |
| [] | It represents any single character within the brackets. |
| ^ | It represents any character, not in the brackets. |
| – | It represents a range of characters. |
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”, “O”, or “A”.
SELECT * FROM Article WHERE Title LIKE '[IOA]%';
Example-2
The subsequent statement would return all articles with a Title NOT starting with “I”, “O”, or “A”.
SELECT * FROM Article WHERE Title LIKE '[^IOA]%';
Example-3
The subsequent statement would return all articles with a Title starting with “I”, “J”, “K”, “L”, “M”, “N” or “O”.
SELECT * FROM Customers WHERE City LIKE '[I-O]%';
Also, check How To Use TOP Clause In SQL
