Tips for Effective Use of Wildcards
Wildcards in SQL are very useful for flexible searches. However, to keep the search fast and efficient, there are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Don’t Use Wildcards at the Beginning of the Search:
Using a wildcard at the beginning of a search (e.g., %anvil) can slow down a search. The database must check all the values in the column to find a match, resulting in poor performance. It’s a good idea to place the wildcard at the end or in the middle of the search pattern if possible.
2. Pay Attention to the Wildcard Position:
The position of the wildcard is very important to get the right result. If the wildcard is not placed correctly, the results may not be as expected. For example, if you search for a product with a name that contains “ton” but puts a wildcard before the word, the results may not include all relevant products.