varchar (TP005)

Automatic fix is available.

What it does

Checks for usage of varchar.

Why not?

varchar(n) is a variable width text field that will throw an error if you try and insert a string longer than n characters (not bytes) into it.

varchar (without the (n)) or text are similar, but without the length limit. If you insert the same string into the three field types they will take up exactly the same amount of space, and you won't be able to measure any difference in performance.

If what you really need is a text field with an length limit then varchar(n) is great, but if you pick an arbitrary length and choose varchar(20) for a surname field you are risking production errors in the future when Hubert Blaine Wolfe­schlegel­stein­hausen­berger­dorff signs up for your service.

Some databases do not have a type that can hold arbitrary long text, or if they do it's not as convenient or efficient or well-supported as varchar(n). Users from those databases will often use something like varchar(255) when what they really want is text.

If you need to constrain the value in a field you probably need something more specific than a maximum length - maybe a minimum length too, or a limited set of characters - and a check constraint can do all of those things as well as a maximum string length.

When should you?

When you want to, really. If what you want is a text field that will throw an error if you insert too long a string into it, and you don't want to use an explicit check constraint then varchar(n) is a perfectly good type. Just don't use it automatically without thinking about it.

Also, the varchar type is in the SQL standard, unlike the text type, so it might be the best choice for writing super-portable applications.

Use instead:

1. text
2. text with a constraint that enforces a maximum string length