How To Check If A String Contains A Substring In SQL Server

In this blog, I wil explain how to check a specific word or character in a given statement in SQL Server, using CHARINDEX function or SQL Server and check if the string contains a specific substring with CHARINDEX function.

Alternative to CHARINDEX() is using LIKE predicate.

Method 1

 

Using CHARINDEX() function

CHARINDEX()
This function is used to search for a specific word or a substring in an overall string and returns its starting position of match. In case no word is found, then it will return 0 (zero).

Let us understand this with examples.

Syntax

1. CHARINDEX ( SearchString,WholeString[ , startlocation ] )

Example

Declare @mainString nvarchar(100)='Amit Kumar Yadav'
---Check here @mainString contains Amit or not, if it contains then retrun greater than 0 then print Find otherwise Not Find
if CHARINDEX('Amit',@mainString) > 0
begin
   select 'Find' As Result
end
else
    select 'Not Find' As Result

Output

 

 

Method 2 

 

Using LIKE Predicate

DECLARE @WholeString VARCHAR(50)
DECLARE  @ExpressionToFind VARCHAR(50)
SET @WholeString = 'Amit Kumar Yadav'
SET @ExpressionToFind = 'Kumar'

IF @WholeString LIKE '%' + @ExpressionToFind + '%'
    PRINT 'Yes it is find'
ELSE
    PRINT 'It doesn''t find'

Output