This might be the worlds shortest blog post. If you’re looking to understand the SQL DECIMAL vs NUMERIC data types, understand this:
The SQL Server DECIMAL and NUMERIC data types are synonyms and can be used interchangeably.
I pulled that information directly from the Microsoft documentation: decimal and numeric (Transact-SQL).
So if you’re looking to understand the NUMERIC data type, you could just learn everything about the DECIMAL type because again, they’re the same thing.
I happen to have a full tutorial on the DECIMAL data type here:
SQL Server Decimal: Everything you need to know
Make sure you check it out!
Next Steps:
This concludes this week’s blog post about the SQL DECIMAL vs NUMERIC data types. I hope you…uh…enjoyed the content.
Data types are a very important topic to understand in SQL Server. An improper use of data types can lead to a database that wastes space, or queries that run inefficiently. You need to understand that data types are basically constraints on the data, which limits the values we can store.
If you’re just starting out with SQL Server and would like a thorough rundown on the most common data types you will encounter as a database professional, you should check out my FREE guide:
FREE EBook on SQL Server Data Types!
The DECIMAL data type is one of those 10 data types you should know. Definitely get the guide!
Also, I have a full discussion on the integer data types specifically, here:
SQL Integer Data Types – Everything you need to know
Finally, I have a full discussion on the character string data types too, here!:
SQL Server character data types (and the differences between them)
Thank you for reading!
Make sure you subscribe to my newsletter to receive special offers and notifications anytime a new tutorial is released!
If you have any questions, or if you are struggling with a different topic related to SQL Server, I’d be happy to discuss it. Leave a comment or visit my contact page and send me an email!
