SQL Where Like

The `WHERE` clause is fundamental to filtering data in SQL. It allows you to select only the rows that meet a specific condition. The `LIKE` operator within the `WHERE` clause is particularly useful for finding data that matches a pattern. Instead of specifying an exact value, you can use wildcards to search for similar values. This is crucial for tasks like searching for names containing a particular prefix or suffix, or finding records with specific text within a column. For example, you might want to find all customers whose names start with 'A', or all products containing the word 'blue'. The `LIKE` operator provides this capability.The `LIKE` operator uses wildcards: the underscore `_` matches any single character, and the percentage `%` matches any sequence of zero or more characters. This flexibility makes `LIKE` a powerful tool for pattern matching. For instance, `'A%'` would match any string starting with 'A', while `'%blue%'` would match any string containing the word 'blue'.Understanding the `LIKE` operator is essential for efficient data retrieval. It allows you to quickly isolate the data you need from a larger dataset, without having to manually examine each row. This is especially important in large databases where performance is critical.The `LIKE` operator is often used in conjunction with other `WHERE` clause conditions. For example, you might filter customers who live in a specific city and whose names start with a particular letter. This combination of filtering criteria allows for highly targeted data retrieval.