str_to_date() — SQL Technical Interview Questions & Answers

str_to_date()

str_to_date()

  • TO_DATE() is a MySQL string function — it takes text and returns text or a number. You use it in SELECT (and sometimes WHERE/UPDATE). It does not change stored data unless you UPDATE … SET col = TO_DATE(col).
  • Board: SELECT TO_DATE(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). NULL input often yields NULL. Try it on one row first.
  • Interview: name TO_DATE, one argument list, one example on the students table. Don’t recite every string function.
  • On the example next to this theory: str_to_date(): create two demo rows, then SELECT qty >= 2 ordered. Say which labels come back.

Technical Interview Tip: Say what TO_DATE returns, then SELECT TO_DATE(name) FROM students;

Code Examples for str_to_date()

str_to_date() — sample query

-- str_to_date()
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;

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

How to Explain str_to_date() to an Interviewer

What does TO_DATE do?

is a MySQL string function — it takes text and returns text or a number SELECT TO_DATE(name) FROM students;

Does it UPDATE the table?

No, unless you write UPDATE SELECT only prints