Problem:

Have you ever needed to combine strings in SQL Server? Whether you are working with Microsoft Power BI or directly in SQL Server, there are various scenarios where concatenating strings can be useful. In this tutorial, we will explore different ways to concatenate strings in SQL Server using T-SQL.

Solution:

There are several methods to concatenate strings in SQL Server:

Method 1: Using the + Operator

The simplest way to concatenate strings in SQL Server is by using the + operator. You can use the + operator to concatenate two or more strings together. Here’s an example:

SELECT 'Hello' + ' ' + 'World' AS ConcatenatedString;

The output of the above query will be:

ConcatenatedString
-----------------
Hello World

Method 2: Using the CONCAT Function

Another method to concatenate strings in SQL Server is by using the CONCAT function. The CONCAT function takes multiple string arguments and concatenates them together. Here’s an example:

SELECT CONCAT('Hello', ' ', 'World') AS ConcatenatedString;

The output of the above query will be the same as the previous example:

ConcatenatedString
-----------------
Hello World

Method 3: Using the CONCAT_WS Function

The CONCAT_WS function is similar to the CONCAT function, but it allows you to specify a separator between the concatenated strings. The separator is specified as the first argument, followed by the strings to be concatenated. Here’s an example:

SELECT CONCAT_WS(', ', 'John', 'Doe', '123 Main St') AS ConcatenatedString;

The output of the above query will be:

ConcatenatedString
-----------------
John, Doe, 123 Main St

Method 4: Using the FOR XML PATH(”) Trick

If you are working with SQL Server versions prior to SQL Server 2017, you can use the FOR XML PATH(”) trick to concatenate strings. This method involves using a subquery with the FOR XML PATH(”) clause to concatenate the strings. Here’s an example:

SELECT 
    STUFF(
        (SELECT ', ' + Name
        FROM Customers
        FOR XML PATH(''), TYPE).value('.', 'NVARCHAR(MAX)'), 1, 2, '') AS ConcatenatedString
FROM Customers;

The output of the above query will be a concatenated string of all the customer names in the Customers table.

Conclusion:

Concatenating strings in SQL Server can be achieved using various methods such as the + operator, CONCAT function, CONCAT_WS function, or the FOR XML PATH(”) trick. Choose the method that best suits your needs and the version of SQL Server you are working with.

Article Last Updated: 2022-01-05