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What is the difference between NULL and NOT NULL? And when should they be used?
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To help with NULL handling, you can use the IS NULL and IS NOT NULL operators and the IFNULL() function. In SQL, the NULL value is never true in comparison to any other value, even NULL .
The IS NULL condition is satisfied if the column contains a null value or if the expression cannot be evaluated because it contains one or more null values. If you use the IS NOT NULL operator, the condition is satisfied when the operand is column value that is not null, or an expression that does not evaluate to null.
A field with a NULL value is a field with no value. If a field in a table is optional, it is possible to insert a new record or update a record without adding a value to this field. Then, the field will be saved with a NULL value. Note: A NULL value is different from a zero value or a field that contains spaces.
Here is an example of how to use the MySQL IS NOT NULL condition in a SELECT statement: SELECT * FROM contacts WHERE last_name IS NOT NULL; This MySQL IS NOT NULL example will return all records from the contacts table where the last_name does not contain a null value.
NULL means you do not have to provide a value for the field...
NOT NULL means you must provide a value for the fields.
For example, if you are building a table of registered users for a system, you might want to make sure the user-id is always populated with a value (i.e. NOT NULL), but the optional spouses name field, can be left empty (NULL)
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