SQL Convert Int To String

How do you convert an integer column to a string in SQL?

Converting integer data types to string data types in SQL is a common task. Different SQL dialects offer various methods for this conversion. Understanding these methods is crucial for data manipulation and presentation.

Description

Example Usage

-- Example using MySQL
SELECT CAST(123.456 AS DECIMAL(10, 2));
-- Output: 123.46

SELECT CAST('123' AS DECIMAL(5,2));
-- Output: 123.00

-- Example using PostgreSQL
SELECT CAST(123.456 AS DECIMAL(5, 2));
-- Output: 123.46

SELECT CAST('123' AS DECIMAL(5,2));
-- Output: 123.00

-- Example using SQL Server
SELECT CAST(123.456 AS DECIMAL(10, 2));
-- Output: 123.46

SELECT CAST('123' AS DECIMAL(5,2));
-- Output: 123.00

Common Mistakes

• Forgetting to specify the target data type (e.g., VARCHAR, TEXT, or CHAR) when converting. This can lead to errors or unexpected results.
• Using incorrect functions for the specific SQL dialect. For instance, using `CAST` in SQL Server where `CONVERT` is the appropriate function.
• Not considering the length of the resulting string. Using an insufficiently sized string type can lead to truncation of data.