What is the difference between char, nchar, varchar, and nvarchar in MS SQL Server?
What is the difference between char, nchar, varchar, and nvarchar in MS SQL Server?
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11-Jul-2023
Updated on 12-Jul-2023
Aryan Kumar
12-Jul-2023The main difference between CHAR, NCHAR, VARCHAR, and NVARCHAR in MS SQL Server is the way they store data.
Another difference between CHAR, NCHAR, VARCHAR, and NVARCHAR is the type of data they can store. CHAR and NCHAR can only store single-byte characters, while VARCHAR and NVARCHAR can store multi-byte characters.
Here is a table that summarizes the differences between CHAR, NCHAR, VARCHAR, and NVARCHAR in MS SQL Server:
In general, CHAR and NCHAR are more efficient than VARCHAR and NVARCHAR, because they do not need to store the length of the data. However, CHAR and NCHAR can be less flexible, because they cannot store multi-byte characters.
The best data type to use depends on your specific needs. If you need to store single-byte characters and you need to be as efficient as possible, then you should use CHAR or NCHAR. If you need to store multi-byte characters or you need more flexibility, then you should use VARCHAR or NVARCHAR.