Single Quote, Double Quote, and Backticks in MySQL Queries - Coding

In MySQL, quotes and backticks are used to specify and handle different types of data and identifiers in queries.

Single quotes (‘ ‘) are mainly for enclosing text values, double quotes (” “) are similar but less commonly used, and backticks ( ) are for enclosing identifiers like table or column names.

Knowing how and when to use these correctly ensures your MySQL queries are structured accurately and work as intended. This guide explains how to use single quotes, double quotes, and backticks in MySQL with syntax and examples.

Demo MySQL Database

Let’s create and insert values into a sample students table:

CREATE TABLE students 
(
  id INT,
  name VARCHAR(50),
  age INT
);

INSERT INTO students VALUES
  (1, 'Alice', 20),
  (2, 'Bob', 22),
  (3, 'Charlie', 21);

Output:

id	name	age
1	Alice	20
2	Bob	22
3	Charlie	21

To create this table, write the following MySQL queries:

Single Quotes

Single quotes are used to handle string literals when writing queries. It is denoted by ( ‘ ‘ ).
String values in queries are enclosed between these single quotes.
This helps the server understand that the enclosed characters are from a string.

Syntax:

‘ String Literal ‘

MySQL Single Quotes Example

Let’s fetch the information about the person whose name is Alice.

SELECT * FROM students WHERE name = 'Alice';

Output:

id	name	age
1	Alice	20

Explanation: The above Query fetches all data from the student table where the person’s name is “Alice“.

Double Quotes

Double quotes are also used to define string literals. It is denoted by ( ” ” ).
When ‘ANSI_QUOTES‘ mode is enabled, the strings in double quotes are interpreted as identifiers.
Identifiers identify database objects, such as table or column names.

Syntax:

” Identifier “

MySQL Double Quotes Example

Suppose we want to fetch names that are written with double quotes like “Alice“, not single quotes.

SET sql_mode = 'ANSI_QUOTES';

SELECT * FROM "students" WHERE "name" = 'Alice';

Output:

id	name	age
1	Alice	20

Explanation: We have successfully fetched the output along with the help of Double Quotes easily.

Backticks

Backticks are used to quote identifiers such as database names, table names, and column names. It is denoted by (“).
Backticks ensure the identifiers are correctly identified even though they coincide with the MySQL keywords.
Backticks are especially required if the database/table/column names contain whitespace characters.

Syntax:

`Identifier`

MySQL Backticks Example

Let’s fetch the person whose name is Alice using Backticks.

SELECT * FROM `students` WHERE `name` = 'Alice';

Output:

id	name	age
1	Alice	20

Explanation: We have successfully fetched the output along with the help of Backticks easily.

Conclusion

Single quotes are used for string literals. Double quotes are used for identifiers when the ‘ANSI_QUOTES‘ mode is set and for strings in general. Backticks are used for identifiers especially when they are MySQL keywords or contain special characters.

The article explained single quotes, double quotes, and backticks in MySQL with examples. It is important to properly quote and escape your strings and identifiers to prevent SQL syntax errors and SQL injection attacks.

FAQs on Single Quote, Double Quote, and Backticks in MySQL Queries

When should I use single quotes in MySQL queries?

Single quotes should be used around string literals in MySQL queries. For example, when querying for records where a column contains a specific text value, you would enclose that value in single quotes.

How are double quotes used in MySQL queries?

Double quotes are used for identifiers in MySQL queries, especially when the ‘ANSI_QUOTES‘ mode is set. This mode allows double quotes to be used for specifying identifiers like table or column names.

What is the significance of backticks in MySQL queries?

Backticks (``) are used to enclose identifiers in MySQL queries. They are particularly important when an identifier coincides with a MySQL keyword or contains special characters or spaces. Backticks ensure that these identifiers are interpreted correctly by MySQL.

Reffered: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org

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