SQL ISNULL() Explained

Some RDBMSs provide an ISNULL() function that can be used when dealing with potentially null values.

MySQL, MariaDB, and Oracle Database each have an ISNULL() function that returns 1 if its argument is null, and 0 if it’s not.

SQL Server also has an ISNULL() function, but it works differently. It works more like how the IFNULL() function works in some other RDBMSs.

Other RDBMSs, such as PostgreSQL and SQLite don’t include an ISNULL() function, but they do support the IS NULL predicate (as do the other RDBMSs).

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MySQL CASE Statement

In MySQL, the CASE statement can be used in stored programs to perform a complex conditional construct. It compares a list of conditions and returns a different result depending on which condition (if any) is matched.

The CASE statement is different to the CASE operator, in that the CASE statement is specifically for use in stored programs. Also, there’s a slight difference in the syntax.

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