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SQL server query to get the list of columns in a table along with Data types NOT NULL and PRIMARY KEY constraints

April 8, 2025

SQL server query to get the list of columns in a table along with Data types NOT NULL and PRIMARY KEY constraints

Knowing the construction of your SQL Server tables is important for businesslike database direction and improvement. Realizing however to rapidly retrieve accusation astir columns, information sorts, and constraints tin prevention you invaluable clip and forestall errors. This station volition dive heavy into assorted SQL Server queries that let you to acquire a blanket database of columns successful a array, on with their information sorts, NOT NULL, and Capital Cardinal constraints. Mastering these queries volition empower you to confidently navigate your database schema.

Utilizing INFORMATION_SCHEMA

The INFORMATION_SCHEMA scheme views supply a modular manner to entree metadata astir database objects. You tin usage the COLUMNS position to retrieve file accusation. This technique is extremely moveable and plant crossed antithetic database methods with insignificant changes. This is particularly adjuvant once dealing with databases with a ample figure of tables and columns.

Present’s however you tin usage INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS:

Choice COLUMN_NAME, DATA_TYPE, IS_NULLABLE, CHARACTER_MAXIMUM_LENGTH FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS Wherever TABLE_NAME = 'YourTableName'; 

Regenerate 'YourTableName' with the existent sanction of your array. This question returns the file sanction, information kind, nullability (Sure/Nary), and most quality dimension for drawstring columns.

Utilizing sys.columns

For SQL Server-circumstantial queries, sys.columns presents a much nonstop attack to entree file metadata. It’s mostly thought of much businesslike than INFORMATION_SCHEMA for SQL Server databases. sys.columns incorporates a wealthiness of accusation, permitting you to tailor your question to retrieve circumstantial particulars astir the columns, specified arsenic their IDs, default values, and precision.

Present’s an illustration:

Choice sanction Arsenic COLUMN_NAME, TYPE_NAME(system_type_id) Arsenic DATA_TYPE, is_nullable, max_length FROM sys.columns Wherever object_id = OBJECT_ID('YourTableName'); 

This question makes use of the TYPE_NAME relation to acquire a person-affable information kind sanction and offers akin output to the INFORMATION_SCHEMA illustration.

Retrieving Constraint Accusation

To acquire accusation astir constraints similar NOT NULL and Capital Cardinal, you tin harvester the former queries with accusation from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.KEY_COLUMN_USAGE oregon sys.key_constraints and sys.index_columns. This is indispensable for knowing information integrity guidelines enforced connected the array and however antithetic columns associate to all another done capital and abroad cardinal relationships.

Present’s an illustration utilizing INFORMATION_SCHEMA:

Choice c.COLUMN_NAME, c.DATA_TYPE, c.IS_NULLABLE, kcu.CONSTRAINT_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS Arsenic c Near Articulation INFORMATION_SCHEMA.KEY_COLUMN_USAGE Arsenic kcu Connected c.TABLE_NAME = kcu.TABLE_NAME AND c.COLUMN_NAME = kcu.COLUMN_NAME Wherever c.TABLE_NAME = 'YourTableName'; 

Applicable Exertion and Champion Practices

These queries are invaluable for duties similar information migration, schema examination, and producing documentation. Knowing however information is structured is the archetypal measure successful immoderate information investigation oregon manipulation project. Ideate you are migrating information to a fresh scheme. These queries tin aid guarantee information kind compatibility and forestall information failure throughout the migration procedure. They are besides indispensable once refactoring database schemas, serving to you path adjustments and guarantee consistency.

Arsenic a champion pattern, ever suffice array names with the schema sanction (e.g., dbo.YourTableName) to debar ambiguity. For ample tables, see filtering the outcomes additional primarily based connected circumstantial standards, specified arsenic file names oregon information varieties. This improves question show and helps you direction connected the applicable accusation.

  • Usage INFORMATION_SCHEMA for transverse-database compatibility.
  • Usage sys.columns for amended show connected SQL Server.
  1. Place the array you’re curious successful.
  2. Take the due question based mostly connected your wants (INFORMATION_SCHEMA oregon sys.columns).
  3. Execute the question and analyse the outcomes.

“Information is a valuable happening and volition past longer than the programs themselves.” - Tim Berners-Lee

Infographic Placeholder: Ocular cooperation of the question procedure.

Larn Much Astir SQL ServerSeat besides: SQL Capital Cardinal Constraint, Accusation Schema Views, and Ideas connected Itemizing Columns.

  • Guarantee information kind compatibility once migrating information.
  • Usage these queries for documentation and schema examination.

Featured Snippet Optimized Paragraph: To rapidly retrieve file accusation successful SQL Server, usage both INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS for portability oregon sys.columns for show. See joins with constraint tables to retrieve particulars astir capital keys and another constraints. Retrieve to ever specify the array sanction for close outcomes.

FAQ

Q: However tin I retrieve the default worth of a file?

A: You tin usage the COLUMN_DEFAULT file successful INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS oregon the default_object_id successful sys.columns to retrieve the default worth of a file.

By knowing and making use of these SQL queries, you addition a almighty implement for managing and knowing your SQL Server databases. Effectively retrieving file particulars, information varieties, and constraints streamlines improvement, simplifies information migrations, and finally permits you to harness the afloat powerfulness of your information. Commencement exploring your database schema present and unlock its hidden possible. For additional exploration, see researching prolonged properties and however they tin supply equal richer metadata astir your database objects. Dive deeper into show tuning methods for these queries once running with highly ample tables. These insights volition additional heighten your quality to efficaciously negociate your SQL Server situation.

Question & Answer :
I demand to compose a question connected SQL server to acquire the database of columns successful a peculiar array, its related information varieties (with dimension) and if they are not null. And I person managed to bash this overmuch.

However present i besides demand to acquire, successful the aforesaid array, towards a file - Actual if that file is a capital cardinal.

However bash i bash this?

My anticipated output is:

File sanction | Information kind | Dimension | isnull | Pk 

To debar duplicate rows for any columns, usage user_type_id alternatively of system_type_id.

Choice c.sanction 'File Sanction', t.Sanction 'Information kind', c.max_length 'Max Dimension', c.precision , c.standard , c.is_nullable, ISNULL(i.is_primary_key, zero) 'Capital Cardinal' FROM sys.columns c Interior Articulation sys.sorts t Connected c.user_type_id = t.user_type_id Near OUTER Articulation sys.index_columns ic Connected ic.object_id = c.object_id AND ic.column_id = c.column_id Near OUTER Articulation sys.indexes i Connected ic.object_id = i.object_id AND ic.index_id = i.index_id Wherever c.object_id = OBJECT_ID('YourTableName') 

Conscionable regenerate YourTableName with your existent array sanction - plant for SQL Server 2005 and ahead.

Successful lawsuit you are utilizing schemas, regenerate YourTableName by YourSchemaName.YourTableName wherever YourSchemaName is the existent schema sanction and YourTableName is the existent array sanction.