MySQL TEXT vs VARCHAR: Explained with Examples

MySQL is a widely used open-source relational database management system that provides solid features for the storage and retrieval of data. It stores character strings like names, addresses, etc in most of the applications we develop, and among various data types we use for storing string type is TEXT ( Large text) or VARCHAR. They are used for storing textual data, but their differences and also user cases are different. Let us investigate the relatively fundamental differences of MySQL TEXT vs VARCHAR in terms of storage space, and size dependencies. Additionally, we shall explore some general best practices for MySQL Text vs Varchar while performing operations using them within MySQL databases.

What is VARCHAR in MySQL?

VARCHAR i.e. variable character. It is a variable-length data type that can store alphanumeric and non-alphanumeric strings within the limit. Some important points on VARCHAR.

• Fixed length: VARCHARS allow you to store strings of various lengths but with the maximum allowable upper bound. You define the column as VARCHAR(255) for example when creating your table.
• Efficient storage: MySQL can store variable-length data types in an efficient way than fixed-length data types. It saves only as much memory as used by the string length plus one or two bytes to store length.
• Length Specification: A VARCHAR column can store up to 65,535 characters depending on the character set and maximum row size.  
• Indexing: VARCHAR Columns can be indexed, which suits the data we need to search or sort.

What is TEXT in MySQL?

TEXT is one more data type, used to store a lot of text. The important characteristics of TEXT are as follows:

• Fixed-Point Storage: TEXT does not have a maximum length that you store when the table is created, as opposed to its brother VARCHAR. It occupies up to 65,535 (approx. 64 KB) characters.
• Not Index Friendly: TEXT columns are not indexed as efficiently as VARCHAR type. These can be indexed but only the first 255 characters are included in indexes by default. These limitations make TEXT less optimal for columns that need to be searched in or sorted.
• Memory Usage: A TEXT type is stored in a separate off-page location, which means that they are not measured against the table’s maximum data area size. This can impact performance especially when you frequently access the TEXT data.
• Variants: Apart from this, MySQL supports the following TEXT data types with varying storage capacities.
  • TINYTEXT: Up to 255 characters.
  • TEXT: Up to 65,535 characters.
  • MEDIUMTEXT: Up to 16,777,215 characters.
  • LONGTEXT: Up to 4,294,967,295 characters.

Difference of Storage: MySQL TEXT vs VARCHAR

Here are some points of differences in storage for MySQL TEXT vs VARCHAR:

1. Storage Requirements:

• VARCHAR requires 1 byte for lengths up to 255, and a total of 2 bytes for longer sizes plus the actual string data itself. concurrent execution using yarn command.
• TEXT types differ in that they store codes to a 2-byte pool of memory as the length and are not stored within table row data but hold it separately.

2. Record Size Limitation: 

• The maximum size of a row in a MySQL table is 65,535 bytes. VARCHAR columns contribute to the row size, while TEXT columns are stored off-page with a pointer in the row, potentially exceeding the row size limit.

3. Memory Optimization: 

• VARCHAR uses fixed width whereas TEXT uses dynamic memory and allocates space according to the size of the data stored.

Performance Considerations

Now let’s explore performance considerations in MySQL TEXT vs VARCHAR

Speed:

• VARCHAR is faster for retrieval operations due to its in-row storage. Indexing on VARCHAR columns also improves search speed.
• TEXT can slow down performance because it involves extra steps of following a pointer to access the data. Moreover, large TEXT fields can result in slower joins and sorting operations.

Indexing:

• VARCHAR columns can be fully indexed, making them more suitable for columns that are frequently searched or used in JOIN operations.
• TEXT columns have limited indexing capabilities, which can impact search and retrieval performance.

Memory Usage:

• VARCHAR uses less memory than TEXT for shorter strings because it only allocates the required memory. 
• However, for very large strings, TEXT might be more efficient as it stores data off-page.

When to Use VARCHAR

• Predictable data Length: If you have a predictable range of Data length, Use VARCHAR. An example of this is email addresses or user names, for which the maximum length can be known and is generally not very big.
• Indexing: If you are going to index the column for quicker searches, then opt for a VARCHAR. VARCHAR can be used for effective use of full-text search capabilities.

When to Use TEXT

• TEXT is necessary for storing an undetermined length of text data. If we have lots of textual data then it must be stored in a COLUMN with type as TEXT. These are examples such as a blog post, an article, or comments from the user.
• When the text data need not be searched or indexed that often, then TEXT is appropriate. When indexing isn’t the main concern
• As the type of selection, use TINYTEXT, TEXT, MEDIUMTEXT, or LONGTEX depending on the expected data amount. So, it can fine-tune/ optimize the storage/performance for specific use cases.

Use, Cases, and Examples: MySQL TEXT VS VARCHAR

We are going to explore some practical examples for MySQL Text vs Varchar:

Example 1: Creating a Table for Blog Posts

Description:

Here is the SQL code to create a table for blog posts.

Example 2: Inserting Data into VARCHAR and TEXT Columns

Description:

Now we will illustrate how data is inserted into the table. Include different data lengths to show how VARCHAR and TEXT handle the storage.

SQL Code:

Example 3: VARCHAR vs TEXT for Book Details

Description:

Here, we store brief and detailed descriptions of books, where VARCHAR is used for short titles and TEXT for full descriptions.

 How to Use: MySQL TEXT vs VARCHAR

Here are some usage tips for MySQL TEXT vs VARCHAR:

• Select the appropriate based on data size. VARCHAR is for shorter, predictable-length strings and TEXT is right when it comes to longer, variable-size texts.
•  Indexing is needed by searching or sorting then prefer VARCHAR over TEXT.
• Do not save files in the database but if it is simply text, define how much you need for a VARCHAR column so that all applications do not spend too much memory. According to the data size, we have TEXT type (TINYTEXT, TEXT, MEDIUMTEXT, LONGTEXT)
• Keep TEXT limited number of columns (Only where PERFORMANCE is LIFE or DEATH). TEXT should be used wisely, and large text data needs to be split into other columns or tables if needed.
• If you have large text data and need full-text searches, use MySQL’s built-in FULL-TEXT indexing capabilities with VARCHAR or [medium]text.
• Certain MySQL storage engines (InnoDB, MyISAM, etc.) are different in how they handle VARCHAR and TEXT. Learn the storage engine performance characteristics for that purpose.

FAQs

Conclusion

So in a nutshell, it is essential to understand the differences between MySQL Text vs Varchar. It can play an important role when working with database performance and storage. VARCHAR is suited for short, indexed strings and TEXT is better for long textual data. It is important to choose the right data type for your use case while following some best practices that help in the appropriate and efficient storage of the data in MySQL databases.

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Creating a database schema depends on the type of data, operations (searches and indexing), requirements as per performance, etc. When used correctly, MySQL TEXT vs VARCHAR can help your MySQL applications perform better because they use memory very efficiently. CyberPanel can help you choose the best. Let’s choose an effective one together!