CHAR vs VARCHAR in MySQL: Which Should You Use?

CHAR and VARCHAR both store text, but differently: CHAR reserves fixed space and pads with spaces, VARCHAR stores only what you give it. The right pick keeps storage lean and behaviour predictable.

Key Points

• CHAR(10) always uses 10 characters of storage, space-padded
• VARCHAR(10) stores actual length + 1–2 length bytes
• CHAR suits fixed-length codes: country codes, PIN codes, flags
• VARCHAR suits names, emails, addresses — anything variable
• CHAR silently trims trailing spaces on retrieval — a classic gotcha
• Modern default: VARCHAR almost everywhere; CHAR for true fixed-width data