Merging Columns for a New Column in PostgreSQL
In PostgreSQL, the task of combining two existing columns into a new one arises frequently. While the familiar concat() function is a common approach, let's explore other alternatives and when they excel.
Concatenation with ||
If you're certain that your columns will never contain null values, the traditional concatenation operator || remains the most efficient choice. Simply write:
SELECT col_a || col_b;
concat() for Handling Null Values
However, when null values are a possibility, concat() shines. Unlike ||, concat() guarantees a non-null result, even when all its arguments are null. Its syntax:
SELECT concat(col_a, col_b);
COALESCE for Ensuring Non-Empty Values
If null values can disrupt your desired output, consider using COALESCE in combination with ||:
SELECT COALESCE(col_a, '') || COALESCE(col_b, '');
This approach ensures that the result is an empty string if either column is null.
concat() for Complex Cases
When dealing with multiple null columns or complex expressions, concat() proves particularly useful. For example:
SELECT CASE WHEN (col_a, col_b) IS NULL THEN NULL ELSE concat(col_a, col_b) END;
concat_ws() for Adding Separators
For situations where you need to insert separators between merged elements, concat_ws() offers a convenient option:
SELECT concat_ws(' - ', col_a, col_b, col_c);
Stability Considerations
Note that while concat() and concat_ws() are generally stable functions, they can potentially trigger datatype output functions that rely on locale settings. This can affect their direct usage in index expressions.
The above is the detailed content of How to Efficiently Merge Columns in PostgreSQL?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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