Role of Data Type for Empty String in MySQL NOT NULL Column

The representation of an empty string in result set depends on data type when we insert an empty string into a MySQL column which is declared as NOT NULL. As we know that on inserting empty string we are providing value to MySQL that has integer representation as INT 0.

Now, if that column is having INTEGER data type then MySQL would show 0 in the result set as that empty string has been mapped to zero as an integer.

Example

mysql> create table test(id int NOT NULL, Name Varchar(10));
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.19 sec)

mysql> Insert into test(id, name) values('1', 'Gaurav'),('0','Rahul'),('','Aarav');
Query OK, 3 rows affected, 1 warning (0.08 sec)
Records: 3 Duplicates: 0 Warnings: 1

mysql> Select * from test;
+----+--------+
| id | Name   |
+----+--------+
|  1 | Gaurav |
|  0 | Rahul  |
|  0 | Aarav  |
+----+--------+
3 rows in set (0.00 sec)

But if that column is having any other data type say VARCHAR then MySQL would show an empty string in the result set.

mysql> create table test123(id Varchar(10) NOT NULL, Name Varchar(10));
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.19 sec)

mysql> Insert into test123(id, name) values('1', 'Gaurav'),('0','Rahul'),('','Aarav');
Query OK, 3 rows affected, 1 warning (0.08 sec)
Records: 3 Duplicates: 0 Warnings: 1

mysql> Select * from test123;
+----+--------+
| id | Name   |
+----+--------+
|  1 | Gaurav |
|  0 | Rahul  |
|    | Aarav  |
+----+--------+
3 rows in set (0.00 sec)

From the above examples, we can see that what role data type plays when we insert an empty string into a MySQL column which is declared as NOT NULL.