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SQL CHECK Constraint

SQL CHECK constraints enforce conditions on data values inserted or updated in one or more columns of a table. They check that column values satisfy the constraint condition before inserting or updating the row. For example, a CHECK constraint can specify that a column value must be greater than 999. If the condition is not met, the insert or update will fail with an error. CHECK constraints can reference multiple columns and be added to or dropped from tables after creation.

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Manzoor A. Siddiqui
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39 views

SQL CHECK Constraint

SQL CHECK constraints enforce conditions on data values inserted or updated in one or more columns of a table. They check that column values satisfy the constraint condition before inserting or updating the row. For example, a CHECK constraint can specify that a column value must be greater than 999. If the condition is not met, the insert or update will fail with an error. CHECK constraints can reference multiple columns and be added to or dropped from tables after creation.

Uploaded by

Manzoor A. Siddiqui
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SQL CHECK Constraint

SQL CHECK constraint enforces a condition to check the value to be entered into a


table. If you will define a CHECK constraint on a column then at the time of entering a
record it evaluates that condition and if that condition is true, it accepts it to insert else if it
is false then that record is rejected with error message.
You can specify CHECK constraint during table creation as well, as shown below. Here we
are creating a table NewStudent and keeping a CHECK constraint on RollNumber column
where it should be more than 999. So if you will try to insert RollNumber less than 1000, it
will not allow as condition is not satisfied.

CREATE TABLE NewStudent


(
RollNumber int NOT NULL CHECK (RollNumber > 999),
Title varchar(8),
FirstName varchar(50),
MiddleName varchar(50),
LastName varchar(50) NOT NULL,
Country varchar(50),
FEES int NOT NULL
)

Now we will try to insert record into NewStudent table with RollNumber 900 and will try to
find the error which CHECK constraint returns.

INSERT INTO NewStudent


VALUES (900, 'Mr.', 'Sameer', 'K', 'Desai', 'INDIA', 22000)
So, during insert record, CHECK constraint will evaluate RollNumber column and it will
compare 900 with 999, as we can see the condition is false so it will return below error
message.

Msg 547, Level 16, State 0, Line 2


The INSERT statement conflicted with the CHECK constraint
"CK__NewStuden__RollN__7A672E12". The conflict occurred in database "COLLEGE",
table "dbo.NewStudent", column 'RollNumber'.
The statement has been terminated.

You can also use CHECK constraint on multiple columns during  table creation in the
following manner.

CREATE TABLE NewStudent


(
 RollNumber int NOT NULL,
 Title varchar(8),
 FirstName varchar(50),
 MiddleName varchar(50),
 LastName varchar(50) NOT NULL,
 Country varchar(50),
 FEES int NOT NULL,
 CONSTRAINT CK_NewStudent CHECK(RollNumber > 999 AND Country = 'INDIA')
)

If you want to drop a constraint from a table then you have to write query as given below.

ALTER TABLE NewStudent


DROP CONSTRAINT CK_NewStudent
You can add CHECK constraint on existing table by writing below query.

ALTER TABLE NewStudent


ADD CHECK (RollNumber > 999)

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