SQL BIGINT is a data type used in relational databases to represent a large integer value. It is a numeric data type that can store whole numbers ranging from -9223372036854775808 to 9223372036854775807.
The BIGINT data type is used when the range of values of the regular INTEGER data type is insufficient. For example, if you are working with large datasets, financial data or tracking transactional IDs, you may need to use the BIGINT data type.
Syntax
In SQL, the syntax for creating a column with a BIGINT data type is:
CREATE TABLE table_name ( column_name BIGINT );
Example
You can also specify the maximum and minimum value for the BIGINT data type using the UNSIGNED keyword. For example, the following syntax creates a column with a BIGINT data type and a maximum value of 18446744073709551615 and a minimum value of 0:
CREATE TABLE table_name ( column_name BIGINT UNSIGNED );
When working with BIGINT data type, it is important to ensure that the values being entered into the column do not exceed the maximum or minimum range, as this can cause data truncation and loss.
In conclusion, SQL BIGINT data type is used to store large integer values and is useful when the range of values of the regular INTEGER data type is insufficient. It is important to understand its limitations and use it appropriately to avoid data loss.