**Course Title:** SQLite Mastery: Lightweight Database Management **Section Title:** Creating and Managing SQLite Databases **Topic:** Understanding data types in SQLite **Introduction** In the previous topics, you learned how to create and manage SQLite databases and tables. However, to store and manage data effectively, you need to understand the different data types that SQLite supports. In this topic, you will learn about the basic data types in SQLite, their storage requirements, and how to use them in your database. **Understanding Data Types in SQLite** SQLite supports a total of five basic data types: 1. **NULL**: The NULL data type represents an absence of any data value. It is not a specific value but rather a lack of value. 2. **INTEGER**: The INTEGER data type represents whole numbers, either positive, negative, or zero. 3. **REAL**: The REAL data type represents floating-point numbers, which are numbers that have decimal places. 4. **TEXT**: The TEXT data type represents a sequence of characters. In SQLite, TEXT data can store values of various lengths, from a single character to several megabytes of text. 5. **BLOB (Binary Large OBject)**: The BLOB data type represents binary data, such as images, audio files, or any other type of binary information. **Affinity for Data Types** In addition to the basic data types, SQLite also supports affinity for data types, which determines how data is stored and interpreted in a column. A column's affinity can be one of the following: * **Integer affinity**: When all data in a column is an integer or contains a string that can be converted to an integer. * **Text affinity**: When all data in a column is text, even if the text can be converted to an integer or floating-point number. * **None affinity**: When a column can store data of different types, and the data is not associated with a specific affinity. * **Real affinity**: When all data in a column is floating-point numbers, which can be represented in the REAL data type. **Using Data Types in SQLite** Here's an example of how to use data types in SQLite: ```sql -- Create a table with columns of different data types CREATE TABLE Students ( StudentID INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, FirstName TEXT NOT NULL, LastName TEXT NOT NULL, Age INTEGER, Email TEXT ); -- Insert a row of data into the table INSERT INTO Students (StudentID, FirstName, LastName, Age, Email) VALUES (1, 'John', 'Doe', 20, 'john.doe@example.com'); ``` **Best Practices** When using data types in SQLite: * Always specify a data type for each column when creating a table. * Be aware of the affinity for data types in your columns to avoid conversion errors. * Use the INTEGER and REAL data types for numerical values and the TEXT data type for text values. * Use the BLOB data type only when necessary, such as when storing images or other binary data. **Conclusion and Example** Understanding the different data types in SQLite helps you create more efficient and well-structured databases. Always remember to specify the correct data type for each column in your tables and consider affinity for data types to avoid errors. To practice using data types in SQLite, create a table with columns of different data types, and insert data into the table. **Additional Resources:** * SQLite Data Types (SQLite.org): [https://www.sqlite.org/datatype3.html](https://www.sqlite.org/datatype3.html) * SQL Fiddle (SQL Fiddle): [http://sqlfiddle.com/#!5](http://sqlfiddle.com/#!5) \- an excellent tool for creating and sharing database examples. **Comments** Do you have any questions or comments about using data types in SQLite?