How Can I Combine LIKE and IN Functionality in SQL Server for Pattern Matching?

Combining LIKE and IN for Flexible Pattern Matching in SQL Server

SQL Server queries can leverage the power of both LIKE and IN for sophisticated pattern matching and set comparisons. However, directly combining them isn't syntactically valid. The solution lies in using the OR operator strategically.

Let's say you want to find rows where a column matches several patterns. Instead of attempting a direct LIKE and IN combination, use multiple LIKE conditions joined by OR:

<code class="language-sql">SELECT *
FROM your_table
WHERE
  column LIKE 'Text%'
  OR column LIKE 'Hello%'
  OR column LIKE 'That%';</code>

This query effectively searches for rows where column starts with "Text", "Hello", or "That". It will return rows containing:

• "Text"
• "Hello"
• "That"
• "TextualAnalysis"
• "HelloWorld"
• "ThatIsTheQuestion"

This approach mirrors the functionality of IN (which performs equality checks), but adapts it for pattern matching with LIKE. Note that a direct IN with wildcard patterns (IN ('Text%', 'Hello%', 'That%')) is incorrect SQL syntax.

For improved efficiency, consider consolidating multiple LIKE conditions into a single LIKE statement using the | (OR) operator within the pattern:

<code class="language-sql">SELECT *
FROM your_table
WHERE
  column LIKE '%Text%|%Hello%|%That%';</code>

This optimized query achieves the same result with a more concise and potentially faster execution plan. Remember to escape any special characters within your search patterns if necessary.

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