How to use NOT in Where Clause?

Question

what is the difference between if i wrote the NOT query in the following ways.

SELECT iBatchID,COUNT(*) FROM #temp WHERE NOT iBatchID  IN (1) GROUP BY iBatchID

SELECT iBatchID,COUNT(*) FROM #temp WHERE iBatchID NOT IN (1) GROUP BY iBatchID

what is the difference in between if i am using WHERE NOT iBatchID IN (1) and WHERE iBatchID NOT IN (1) ?

Answer 1

There is no difference. They will have the same query result.

And I believe the execution plans should be identical, but the best way to find that out is to capture the actual execution plans of each query.

I personally always choose ... WHERE SomeCol NOT IN (...), as it reads a little clearer than ... NOT WHERE SomeCol IN (...). But this is all personal preference and what you feel to be more readable and maintainable.