MySQL Data Types: Complete Guide with Examples

Choosing the right data type is the first step in good database design. MySQL provides numeric, string, date/time, and JSON types, and the right choice affects storage size, accuracy, and query speed — all critical when your tables feed analytics reports.

Key Points

• Numeric: INT, BIGINT, DECIMAL (exact, ideal for money), FLOAT/DOUBLE (approximate)
• String: CHAR (fixed length), VARCHAR (variable), TEXT (long content), ENUM
• Date/time: DATE, DATETIME, TIMESTAMP, TIME, YEAR
• JSON type for semi-structured data since MySQL 5.7
• Use DECIMAL for financial values to avoid floating-point rounding errors
• Smaller types = smaller indexes = faster analytical queries