LEFT

Returns the given number of characters from the beginning of a string.

MySQL 8.1

LEFT(str, number_of_characters)

str: Source string
VARCHAR
number_of_characters: Number of characters to extract
INT

Return value

The first number_of_characters characters; the whole string if it is shorter; an empty string if number_of_characters is less than 1

Examples

First three characters

MySQL 8.1

SELECT LEFT('sql-academy', 3);

LEFT('sql-academy', 3)
sql

First letter of a name

MySQL 8.1

SELECT member_name,
	LEFT(member_name, 1) AS initial
FROM FamilyMembers;

member_name	initial
Headley Quincey	H
Flavia Quincey	F
Andie Quincey	A
Lela Quincey	L
Annie Quincey	A
Ernest Forrest	E
Constance Forrest	C
Wednesday Addams	W

Details

Characters are counted, not bytes: LEFT('привет', 2) returns пр. A negative number gives an empty string, while in PostgreSQL it gives the whole string without the last characters: LEFT('abcdef', -2) returns abcd there.

Where to learn

Function usage

LEFT

Return value

Examples

First three characters

First letter of a name

Details

See also

Where to learn