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A really quick one - is it more efficient to store data which might be one or two characters as CHAR(2) or VARCHAR(2) in MySql?
Thanks!
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In CHAR, If the length of the string is less than set or fixed-length then it is padded with extra memory space. In VARCHAR, If the length of the string is less than the set or fixed-length then it will store as it is without padded with extra memory spaces. 3.
Use char when the sizes of the column data entries are consistent. Use varchar when the sizes of the column data entries vary considerably. Use varchar(max) when the sizes of the column data entries vary considerably, and the string length might exceed 8,000 bytes.
In most circumstances, VARCHAR provides better performance, it's more flexible, and can be fully indexed. If you need to store longer strings, use MEDIUMTEXT or LONGTEXT, but be aware that very large amounts of data can be stored in columns of these types.
In terms of storage space required, you're better off with CHAR(2) because the VARCHAR(2) type will require one extra byte to store the length:
Value CHAR(2) Storage Required VARCHAR(2) Storage Required '' ' ' 2 bytes '' 1 byte 'a' 'a ' 2 bytes 'a' 2 bytes 'ab' 'ab' 2 bytes 'ab' 3 bytes
See 10.4.1. The CHAR and VARCHAR Types for more details.
More Information: What's the difference between VARCHAR and CHAR?
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