How Can I Count Words in a MySQL Field Using REGEXP_REPLACE?

Counting Words Using Regex.Replace in MySQL

Many developers seek a MySQL query equivalent to the Regex.Replace function found in .NET/C#. By leveraging MySQL's built-in functions, you can replicate similar behavior and overcome limitations faced by existing approaches.

To count the number of words in a field, a common method involves subtracting the length of the field after removing spaces from its original length. However, this approach fails to account for scenarios where multiple spaces exist between words.

To address this issue, MySQL provides the REGEXP_REPLACE user-defined function. Utilizing this function, you can remove all instances of consecutive spaces, regardless of the number, resulting in a precise word count. Additionally, consider employing word normalization techniques at the data insertion stage to prevent duplicate whitespaces from entering the database.

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