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SQL · Theory

REPLACE()()

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Theory

161/439

REPLACE()()

REPLACE() replace a substring with another. You use it in SELECT (and sometimes WHERE/UPDATE). It does not change stored data unless you UPDATE … SET col = REPLACE(col).

Board: SELECT REPLACE(name, ' ', '_') FROM students; Run it. Say the result out loud. If the column is NULL, the result is often NULL — wrap with IFNULL if you need a blank instead.

String indexes in MySQL start at 1, not 0 (SUBSTR, INSTR, LEFT). All occurrences, not only the first.

Interview — name REPLACE, one argument list, one example on the students table. Don’t recite every string function.

On the example next to this theory: REPLACE()(): create two demo rows, then SELECT qty >= 2 ordered. Say which labels come back.

Exam tip

Say what REPLACE returns, then SELECT REPLACE(name, ' ', '_') FROM students;

REPLACE()() — sample query

-- REPLACE()()
CREATE TABLE demo (
  id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
  label TEXT NOT NULL,
  qty INTEGER DEFAULT 0
);
INSERT INTO demo (id, label, qty) VALUES
  (1, 'alpha', 2),
  (2, 'beta', 5);
SELECT label, qty FROM demo WHERE qty >= 2 ORDER BY qty DESC;

REPLACE()(): create two demo rows, then SELECT qty >= 2 ordered. Say which labels come back.

Short notes

  • DefREPLACE() replace a substring with another.
  • RuleSELECT REPLACE(name, ' ', '_') FROM students;
  • TrapAll occurrences, not only the first.

Questions

1

What does REPLACE do?

2

Does it UPDATE the table?

161 / 439

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