What Is Numeric Data Type in SQLite?

SQLite is a powerful and popular database management system that is widely used across various platforms and programming languages. It supports a variety of data types to store different kinds of data. One of the fundamental data types in SQLite is the Numeric data type.

The Numeric Data Type

The Numeric data type in SQLite allows you to store numeric values such as integers, floating-point numbers, and decimals. This data type provides flexibility and efficiency when dealing with numerical computations and calculations.

SQLite supports three main subtypes of the Numeric data type:

• INTEGER: The INTEGER subtype is used to store whole numbers without decimal points. It can represent both positive and negative values.
• REAL: The REAL subtype is used to store floating-point numbers, which include decimal points.

  It is commonly used for scientific calculations or when precision is required.

• NUMERIC: The NUMERIC subtype is used to store exact decimal values with fixed precision and scale. It can accurately represent decimal numbers without any loss of precision.

Examples:

To better understand how the Numeric data type works, let’s take a look at some examples:

• Example 1:

If you want to store the age of a person in your database table, you can use the INTEGER subtype as it represents whole numbers:

CREATE TABLE Persons (
    ID INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
    Name TEXT,
    Age INTEGER
);

• Example 2:

If you need to store precise measurements like distances or weights, you can use the NUMERIC subtype:

CREATE TABLE Products (
    ID INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
    Name TEXT,
    Weight NUMERIC,
    Price REAL
);

• Example 3:

If you’re working with financial data that requires decimal precision, you can use the NUMERIC subtype:

CREATE TABLE Transactions (
    ID INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
    Description TEXT,
    Amount NUMERIC(10, 2),
    Date DATE
);

As you can see from these examples, the Numeric data type in SQLite offers flexibility for storing various numeric values based on your specific requirements.

Conclusion

The Numeric data type in SQLite allows you to store and manipulate numeric values efficiently. Whether you need to store whole numbers, floating-point numbers, or precise decimal values, SQLite’s Numeric data type has got you covered. By understanding and using this powerful data type effectively, you can ensure accurate calculations and computations in your SQLite databases.