Difference between CHAR and VARCHAR in MySQL

The focus keyword for this topic is "CHAR vs VARCHAR in MySQL".

In MySQL, the CHAR and VARCHAR are both data types used to store character data. The main difference between them lies in how they store data:

• CHAR: CHAR is a fixed-length data type that stores data in a fixed-length format. When you define a CHAR column, you specify the maximum number of characters it can hold. If the actual data is shorter than the defined length, it will be padded with spaces.
• VARHCAR: VARCHAR is a variable-length data type that stores data in a flexible manner. It only uses the required storage space based on the actual length of the data. Unlike CHAR, VARCHAR does not pad the data with extra spaces.

When deciding between CHAR and VARCHAR, consider the following:

• Use CHAR when you have a fixed-length data requirement.
• Use VARCHAR when the length of the data can vary and you want to save storage space.

It's important to choose the appropriate data type based on your data storage needs to optimize performance and save storage space in MySQL databases.