What is a NULL Value?
If a field in a table is optional, it is possible to insert or update a record without adding any value to this field. This way, the field will be saved with a NULL value.
A NULL value represents an unknown, missing, or inapplicable data in a database field. It is not a value itself, but a placeholder to indicate the absence of data.
Note
A NULL value is different from zero (0) or an empty string (''). A field with a NULL value is one that has been left blank upon record creation.
How to Test for NULL Values?
It is not possible to test for NULL values with comparison operators, such as =, <, or <>.
We will have to use the IS NULL and IS NOT NULL operators instead.
IS NULL Syntax
SELECT column_names FROM table_name WHERE column_name IS NULL;
IS NOT NULL Syntax
SELECT column_names FROM table_name WHERE column_name IS NOT NULL;
Demo Database
Below is a selection from the Customers table used in the examples:
| CustomerID | CustomerName | ContactName | Address | City | PostalCode | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alfreds Futterkiste | Maria Anders | Obere Str. 57 | Berlin | 12209 | Germany |
| 2 | Ana Trujillo Emparedados y helados | Ana Trujillo | Avda. de la Constitución 2222 | México D.F. | 05021 | Mexico |
| 3 | Antonio Moreno TaquerÃa | Antonio Moreno | Mataderos 2312 | México D.F. | 05023 | Mexico |
| 4 | Around the Horn | Thomas Hardy | 120 Hanover Sq. | London | WA1 1DP | UK |
| 5 | Berglunds snabbköp | Christina Berglund | Berguvsvägen 8 | Luleå | S-958 22 | Sweden |
The IS NULL Operator
The IS NULL operator is used to test for empty values (NULL values).
The following SQL lists all customers with a NULL value in the "Address" field:
Example
SELECT CustomerName, ContactName, Address
FROM Customers
WHERE Address
IS NULL;Tip
Always use IS NULL to look for NULL values.
The IS NOT NULL Operator
The IS NOT NULL operator is used to test for non-empty values (NOT NULL values).
The following SQL lists all customers with a value in the "Address" field:
Example
SELECT CustomerName, ContactName, Address
FROM Customers
WHERE Address
IS NOT NULL;