SQL Constraints
SQL Constraints
Syntax
CREATE TABLE table_name (
column1 datatype constraint,
column2 datatype constraint,
column3 datatype constraint,
....
);
• SQL constraints are used to specify rules for the data in a table.
• Constraints are used to limit the type of data that can go into a table.
This ensures the accuracy and reliability of the data in the table. If
there is any violation between the constraint and the data action, the
action is aborted.
• Constraints can be column level or table level. Column level
constraints apply to a column, and table level constraints apply to the
whole table.
The following constraints are commonly used in SQL:
•NOT NULL - Ensures that a column cannot have a NULL value
•UNIQUE - Ensures that all values in a column are different
•PRIMARY KEY - A combination of a NOT NULL and UNIQUE.
Uniquely identifies each row in a table
•FOREIGN KEY - Prevents actions that would destroy links between
tables
•CHECK - Ensures that the values in a column satisfies a specific
condition
•DEFAULT - Sets a default value for a column if no value is specified
•CREATE INDEX - Used to create and retrieve data from the database
very quickly
1. Character Data Types
•CHAR(size) – Fixed-length character data (max 2000 bytes).
•VARCHAR2(size) – Variable-length character data (max 4000 bytes).
•NCHAR(size) – Fixed-length Unicode character data.
•NVARCHAR2(size) – Variable-length Unicode character data.
•CLOB – Character Large Object, stores large text (up to 4GB).
•NCLOB – National Character Large Object, Unicode text storage.
2. Numeric Data Types
•NUMBER(p,s) – Fixed and floating-point numbers.
•BINARY_FLOAT – 32-bit floating point.
•BINARY_DOUBLE – 64-bit floating point.
3. Date and Time Data Types
•DATE – Stores date and time (YYYY-MM-DD HH:MI:SS).
•TIMESTAMP – Stores date and time with fractional seconds.
•TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE – Includes time zone information.
•TIMESTAMP WITH LOCAL TIME ZONE – Normalized to the
session’s time zone.
•INTERVAL YEAR TO MONTH – Stores differences in years and
months.
•INTERVAL DAY TO SECOND – Stores differences in days, hours,
minutes, seconds.