The current webpage explains the SQL LIKE operator, which is used within the WHERE clause to search for a specified pattern in a column.

Key points:

• The LIKE operator enables pattern matching in queries.
• Two wildcards are most commonly used with LIKE:
  • % (percent sign): matches zero, one, or multiple characters.
  • _ (underscore): matches exactly one character.
• Pattern examples:
  • 'a%': finds values starting with “a”.
  • '%a': finds values ending with “a”.
  • '%or%': finds values containing “or”.
  • 'a_%': finds values that start with “a” and are at least three characters long.
• Wildcards can be combined for advanced pattern searching.
• If no wildcard is used, LIKE works as an exact match.
• The page offers several practical SELECT query examples showing how to use LIKE to filter database rows based on letter positions, word starts/ends, and inclusion of patterns.[1]

An interactive exercise and table samples illustrate the operator’s use in real SQL queries.

1

SQL LIKE Operator

The SQL LIKE Operator

The LIKE operator is used in a WHERE clause to search for a specified pattern in a column.

There are two wildcards often used in conjunction with the LIKE operator:

• The percent sign % represents zero, one, or multiple characters
• The underscore sign _ represents one, single character

You will learn more about wildcards in the next chapter.

Select all customers that starts with the letter "a":

SELECT * FROM Customers  
WHERE CustomerName LIKE 'a%';

Syntax

SELECT column1, column2, ...
FROM table_name
WHERE columnN LIKE pattern;

Demo Database

Below is a selection from the Customers table used in the examples:

The _ Wildcard

The _ wildcard represents a single character.

It can be any character or number, but each _ represents one, and only one, character.

Return all customers from a city that starts with 'L' followed by one wildcard character, then 'nd' and then two wildcard characters:

SELECT * FROM Customers  
WHERE city LIKE 'L_nd__';

The % Wildcard

The % wildcard represents any number of characters, even zero characters.

Return all customers from a city that contains the letter 'L':

SELECT * FROM Customers  
WHERE city LIKE '%L%';

Starts With

To return records that starts with a specific letter or phrase, add the % at the end of the letter or phrase.

Return all customers that starts with 'La':

SELECT * FROM Customers  
WHERE CustomerName LIKE 'La%';

Tip: You can also combine any number of conditions using AND or OR operators.

Return all customers that starts with 'a' or starts with 'b':

SELECT * FROM Customers  
WHERE CustomerName LIKE 'a%' OR CustomerName LIKE 'b%';

Ends With

To return records that ends with a specific letter or phrase, add the % at the beginning of the letter or phrase.

Return all customers that ends with 'a':

SELECT * FROM Customers  
WHERE CustomerName LIKE '%a';

Tip: You can also combine "starts with" and "ends with":

Return all customers that starts with "b" and ends with "s":

SELECT * FROM Customers  
WHERE CustomerName LIKE 'b%s';

Contains

To return records that contains a specific letter or phrase, add the % both before and after the letter or phrase.

Return all customers that contains the phrase 'or'

SELECT * FROM Customers  
WHERE CustomerName LIKE '%or%';

Combine Wildcards

Any wildcard, like % and _ , can be used in combination with other wildcards.

Return all customers that starts with "a" and are at least 3 characters in length:

SELECT * FROM Customers  
WHERE CustomerName LIKE 'a__%';

Return all customers that have "r" in the second position:

SELECT * FROM Customers  
WHERE CustomerName LIKE '_r%';

Without Wildcard

If no wildcard is specified, the phrase has to have an exact match to return a result.

Return all customers from Spain:

SELECT * FROM Customers  
WHERE Country LIKE 'Spain';