Understanding the Boolean Data Type in MySQL

Introduction to Boolean in MySQL

• MySQL does not have a dedicated Boolean data type.
• Instead, it uses the TINYINT type to represent Boolean values.
• A value of 0 represents FALSE, and a value of 1 represents TRUE.

Key Concepts

• Boolean Representation:
  • FALSE is equivalent to 0
  • TRUE is equivalent to 1
• Usage in Tables:
  • You can create a column in a table to store Boolean values using TINYINT(1).

Creating a Table with Boolean Values

Below is an example of a table definition:

CREATE TABLE users (
    id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
    username VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
    is_active TINYINT(1) NOT NULL
);

Inserting Data

When inserting data, use 0 or 1 to represent FALSE or TRUE:

INSERT INTO users (username, is_active) VALUES ('Alice', 1);
INSERT INTO users (username, is_active) VALUES ('Bob', 0);

Querying Boolean Data

You can query the table based on Boolean conditions:

SELECT * FROM users WHERE is_active = 1;  -- Fetches active users

Considerations

While using TINYINT(1) for Boolean values is common, it's important to remember that any non-zero value (like 2, 3, etc.) will evaluate as TRUE. Use BOOLEAN or BOOL as synonyms for TINYINT(1) in your SQL queries, as MySQL treats them the same way.

Conclusion

Although MySQL lacks a specific Boolean data type, the TINYINT type effectively serves this purpose. Understanding how to use Boolean values can enhance data handling in MySQL databases.