What happens if I choose the wrong data type in MySQL?

Choosing the wrong data type can lead to wasted storage, poor performance, data truncation, or inaccurate results.

Can I change a column's data type after creating a table?

Yes, you can use the ALTER TABLE statement to modify a column's data type, but be cautious of data loss or conversion issues.

What is the difference between TIMESTAMP and DATETIME in MySQL?

TIMESTAMP stores date and time relative to UTC and can auto-update, while DATETIME stores an absolute date and time without timezone conversion.

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RPATechnology Team

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Topic 2424 min readStructured Tutorial

MySQL Fundamentals: Data Types Overview

Quick Answer

MySQL supports various data types categorized as numeric, string (character), and date/time types. Choosing the correct data type is crucial for efficient storage, accurate data representation, and optimal query performance in your database.

Learning Objectives

Identify the main categories of MySQL data types.
Understand the characteristics and use cases of numeric, string, and date/time data types.
Learn how to select appropriate data types for different database columns.

Introduction

Data types define the kind of data that can be stored in a MySQL database column. They determine the storage format, size, and the operations that can be performed on the data.

Selecting the appropriate data type is fundamental to designing efficient and reliable databases.

Choosing the right data type is key to database performance and integrity.

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Structured lessons

Data Type	Storage Size	Range / Precision	Use Case
TINYINT	1 byte	-128 to 127	Small integers
INT	4 bytes	-2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647	Standard integers
BIGINT	8 bytes	-9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807	Large integers
DECIMAL(M,D)	Variable	Exact fixed-point	Monetary values
FLOAT	4 bytes	Approximate floating-point	Scientific calculations
DOUBLE	8 bytes	Approximate floating-point	High precision calculations

Data Type	Storage	Max Length	Use Case
CHAR(n)	Fixed	0 to 255	Fixed-length strings
VARCHAR(n)	Variable	0 to 65,535	Variable-length strings
TEXT	Variable	65,535 bytes	Large text data
BLOB	Variable	65,535 bytes	Binary data

Data Type	Storage Size	Format	Use Case
DATE	3 bytes	YYYY-MM-DD	Dates only
TIME	3 bytes	HH:MM:SS	Time only
DATETIME	8 bytes	YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS	Date and time
TIMESTAMP	4 bytes	YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS	UTC timestamp

Topic information

Learning Objectives

Introduction

Recommended Next Topics

Primary Keys

Foreign Keys

Basic Database Design

Numeric Data Types

Related Topics

Related Courses

C# Programming Course for Beginners to Advanced | Learn C# and .NET

Overview of MySQL Data Types

Numeric Data Types

String Data Types

Date and Time Data Types

Practical Example

Examples

Best Practices

Common Mistakes

Hands-on Exercise

Identify Appropriate Data Types

Create a Table with Mixed Data Types

Interview Questions

What are the main categories of MySQL data types?

When should you use DECIMAL instead of FLOAT in MySQL?

What is the difference between CHAR and VARCHAR?

MCQ Quiz

Key Takeaways

Summary

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I choose the wrong data type in MySQL?

Can I change a column's data type after creating a table?

What is the difference between TIMESTAMP and DATETIME in MySQL?

String Data Types

Date and Time Types

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