SQL -Structured Query Language - Sql Clause - Like Clause Tutorial

To retrieve a record having a specific pattern in a record from the existing created table. Then we can use a ' WHERE ' Clause with LIKE Operator.

There are two wildcard operator used with like clause to find a similar pattern in the record-

1. % - The percent sign is used when we don’t know how many characters are below and above of specific character.

 Suppose in a table

We have to retrieve names having specific character “ra”, hence we don’t know how many characters are below and above of specific character “ra”.

Therefore here we used the LIKE “%ra%” Statement.

This will retrieve “Sharad”, “Saurabh” and “Param”. Because this name is matching the given-like condition.

Syntax-

SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE column_name LIKE ‘%specific_character%’;

For example-

SELECT * FROM employees WHERE first_name LIKE '%ra%';

Run Query

In this statement, it will retrieve the first_name having specific syntax “ra” in it from the table employees.

2. _ - The underscore sign is used when we know how many characters are below and above of specific character.

 Suppose in a table

We have to retrieve a name having a specific character “aib”, And there should be only one character below and three characters above the specific character “aib”.

Therefore here we used the LIKE “_ aib_ _ _” Statement.

This will retrieve the name “Vaibhav”. Because “Vaibhav” matches the given like condition.

Syntax-

SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE column_name LIKE ‘_specific_character_ ’;

For example-

SELECT * FROM employees WHERE first_name LIKE '_ar__';

Run Query

In this statement, it will retrieve the first_name having specific syntax “ar” in it with one character below it and two-character above it, from the table employees.

Other examples-

SELECT * FROM employees WHERE first_name LIKE '_ar%';

SELECT * FROM employees WHERE first_name LIKE '%a_r%';

Run Query

Table for more clarification on LIKE Clause