Conversion between datatypes
Like other languages, PostgreSQL has one of the significant features, that is, conversion of datatypes. Many times, we will need to convert between datatypes in a database. Type conversions are very useful, and sometimes necessary, while running queries. For example, we are trying to import data from another system and the target-column datatype is different from the source-column datatype; we can use the conversion feature of PostgreSQL to implement runtime conversions between compatible datatypes using CAST
functions. The following is the syntax:
CAST ( expression AS type )
Or
expression :: type
This contains a column name or a literal for which you want to convert the datatype. Converting null values returns nulls. The expression cannot contain blank or empty strings. The type
-datatype to which you want to convert the expression.
Let's consider an example of an order
table where we want to change the date type to a character.
SELECT cast(ordered_date...