When to Use LIKE, IN, BETWEEN

• Use LIKE when searching text patterns
• Use IN when matching multiple values
• Use BETWEEN when filtering ranges

These are commonly used in SQL interviews and real-world queries.

Example Dataset

Table: employees

LIKE Operator (Pattern Matching)

LIKE is used to match text patterns.

Wildcards:

• % means any number of characters
• _ means exactly one character

Examples:

Names starting with 'A'

sql
SELECT * FROM employees
WHERE name LIKE 'A%';

Names ending with 'n'

sql
SELECT * FROM employees
WHERE name LIKE '%n';

Names containing 'a'

sql
SELECT * FROM employees
WHERE name LIKE '%a%';

Second letter is 'o'

sql
SELECT * FROM employees
WHERE name LIKE '_o%';

IN Operator (Multiple Values)

Used to match multiple values in a cleaner way.

sql
SELECT * FROM employees
WHERE department IN ('HR', 'IT');

Equivalent to:

sql
department = 'HR' OR department = 'IT'

BETWEEN Operator (Range Filtering)

Filters values within a range (inclusive).

sql
SELECT * FROM employees
WHERE salary BETWEEN 45000 AND 60000;

Equivalent to:

sql
salary >= 45000 AND salary <= 60000

SQL LIKE vs IN vs BETWEEN

Combining Filters

sql
SELECT * FROM employees
WHERE department = 'IT'
AND salary BETWEEN 50000 AND 60000;

Common Questions (FAQ)

What is LIKE in SQL

LIKE is used to match patterns in text using wildcards such as % and _.

What does % mean in SQL

% represents any number of characters (including zero characters).

What is the difference between IN and OR

IN is a cleaner and more efficient way to match multiple values instead of writing multiple OR conditions.

Is BETWEEN inclusive

Yes, BETWEEN includes both the starting and ending values.

Internal Learning Links

• Learn SELECT basics
• Learn WHERE clause filtering
• Learn SQL JOINs

Practice CTA

Practice more SQL filtering questions on Schoolabe to improve your interview preparation.