SQL Less Than Operator (<)

SQL Less Than Operator

The SQL < (Less Than) operator is used to compare values in a query. It returns true if the left operand is less than the right operand. This operator is commonly used in the WHERE clause to filter records based on numerical or date values.

In this tutorial, we will explore the SQL < operator, its syntax, and how to use it with examples.

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Syntax of SQL Less Than Operator

The basic syntax of the SQL < operator is:

SELECT column1, column2, ...
FROM table_name
WHERE column_name < value;

Explanation:

• SELECT: Specifies the columns to retrieve from the table.
• FROM: Defines the table from which to retrieve data.
• WHERE: Filters the records based on the condition.
• <: Ensures only records where column_name is less than the specified value are included.

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Step-by-Step Examples with MySQL

Let’s create a sample employees table to demonstrate the usage of the < operator.

1 Creating the Table and Inserting Data

We will create an employees table with columns id, name, age, and salary.

CREATE TABLE employees (
    id INT PRIMARY KEY AUTO_INCREMENT,
    name VARCHAR(50),
    age INT,
    salary DECIMAL(10,2)
);

Inserting sample data into the table:

INSERT INTO employees (name, age, salary)
VALUES 
('Arjun', 30, 50000.00),
('Ram', 25, 45000.00),
('John', 28, 48000.00),
('Priya', 23, 40000.00);

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Examples: Using the Less Than Operator in Queries

Now, let’s explore different scenarios using the < operator in SQL queries.

Example 1: Selecting Employees Younger Than 28

To retrieve employees who are younger than 28 years:

SELECT * FROM employees
WHERE age < 28;