Match text patterns using LIKE. Learn the syntax using an editable sql example.
When to use it
Use this technique in input parsing, formatting and text processing. Check the input types, any required imports, and whether the operation changes existing values or produces a new result.
Syntax
SELECT name FROM products WHERE name LIKE 'B%';
Parameters
Inspect the literals, variables and function arguments used in the example. Replace values with compatible sql types before testing.
Returns / effect
Expected demonstration result: Products whose names begin with B.
Demo tables (SQLite)
users(id, name, score, active, phone) orders(id, user_id, total, status) products(id, name, price)
This is an isolated temporary SQLite database. Any edits disappear after each run. It is not connected to WordPress.
Expected output
Products whose names begin with B
Common mistake and fix
Watch for empty input, encoding differences and special characters.
Good practices
Keep the example small, check its documented output, then adapt it to your own project with validation and error handling.
Practice exercise
Change the WHERE condition to find products whose names begin with P.
Compatibility: Confirm support in your installed language/runtime version; some examples need modern standard libraries.
Related concepts: strings, examples, syntax
Explain this code
Try a small exercise
Change the WHERE condition to find products whose names begin with P.
Show a hint
The LIKE pattern for a P prefix is P%.
Runs your edited code and compares its output with this exercise test.
Show example solution
SELECT name FROM products WHERE name LIKE 'P%';
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Educational examples are not a substitute for a real compiler or version-specific documentation. JavaScript, Python and SQLite demos run in isolated browser contexts when supported; Python and SQL load an online WebAssembly runtime on first use. Other languages receive structural hints, not compiler validation. No visitor code executes on WordPress.