SQL LIKE(Wildcard)

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The LIKE operator in SQL Server is used in the WHERE clause to filter records based on pattern matching. It is commonly used with wildcards to find values that match a specific format.

Syntax:

column_name LIKE 'pattern'

Example:Find all products starting with 'L' 

SELECT OrderID, ProductName
FROM Orders
WHERE ProductName LIKE 'L%';

Example Using _ Wildcard: Find products with 5 letters, starting with 'M' 

SELECT ProductName
FROM Orders
WHERE ProductName LIKE 'M____';

Example Using [] Brackets: Find products starting with 'L' or 'K' 

SELECT ProductName
FROM Orders
WHERE ProductName LIKE '[LK]%';

Using [^] (NOT) Brackets Query: Find products NOT starting with 'L' or 'M'

SELECT ProductName
FROM Orders
WHERE ProductName LIKE '[^LM]%';


Notes:
1. Case-insensitive: By default, LIKE is case-insensitive in SQL Server unless the collation is case-sensitive.
2. Often used with % to search anywhere in a string:
      • Example: WHERE ProductName LIKE '%top%'
      • Matches 'Laptop', 'Desktop', etc.
3. Can be combined with NOT LIKE to exclude patterns.

Quick Tip:
LIKE in SQL Server is used for pattern matching with wildcards such as % (any sequence) and _ (single character). Useful for searching text columns flexibly.

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