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SQL RIGHT Function

The SQL RIGHT function is used to return the rightmost characters from a given expression. SQL Server RIGHT function uses its second argument to decide the number of characters it should return. The syntax of the SQL Server RIGHT Function is

SELECT RIGHT (Character_Expression, Value)
FROM [Source]
  • Character_Expression: RIGHT Function will write the rightmost characters from this expression.
  • Value: Number of characters right function has to extract from the Character_Expression.

The index position in the SQL Server RIGHT Function will start from 1, Not 0. For this RIGHT Function example, we use the below data

SQL RIGHT FUNCTION

SQL RIGHT Function Example 1

The RIGHT function returns the specified number of rightmost characters from the given string. The following RIGHT function query returns the rightmost 6 and 20 characters from a variable.

DECLARE @Charcater_Expression varchar(50)
SET @Charcater_Expression = 'Learn SQL Server' 

--Using Positive Integer 6
SELECT RIGHT (@Charcater_Expression, 6) AS 'SQL RIGHT' 

--Searching from specific position – 20
SELECT RIGHT (@Charcater_Expression, 20) AS 'SQL RIGHT'
SQL RIGHT FUNCTION 1

We used the RIGHT function to return six rightmost characters from the @Character_Expression variable.

--Using Positive Integer 6
SELECT RIGHT (@Charcater_Expression, 6) AS 'SQL RIGHT'

In the next line, We set the second argument = 20, which is greater than the string length. So, String Right function prints all the characters from the @Character_Expression

--Searching from specific position – 20
SELECT RIGHT (@Charcater_Expression, 20) AS 'SQL RIGHT'

SQL RIGHT Function Example 2

The RIGHT function also allows you to select the rightmost characters from the column values. In this SQL Server example, we print the rightmost nine words of all the records present inside the Email column

SELECT [FirstName]
      ,[LastName]
      ,[DepartmentName]
      ,[Email]
      ,RIGHT ([Email], 9) AS [SQL RIGHT]
 FROM [Employe]
SQL RIGHT FUNCTION 2

If you observe the above result, string Right Function is not getting the domain names perfectly because we are using fixed value. In the next String Function example, we show how to use dynamic value as a second argument to return the domain names accurately.

Find Domain Names in Email using SQL RIGHT Function

We will find the domain names present in the Email column using the right Function.

SELECT [FirstName]
      ,[LastName]
      ,[DepartmentName]
      ,[Email]
      ,RIGHT (
              [Email]
             ,(LEN([Email]) - CHARINDEX ('@', [Email]))
             ) AS [SQL RIGHT]
 FROM [Employe]
SQL RIGHT FUNCTION 3

Within the Sql Server right function, it will find the length of Email using LEN Function

LEN([Email])

It returns the index position of the @ symbol. It means the CHARINDEX function check for the index position of @ symbol in every record.

CHARINDEX ('@', [Email])

We subtracted the index position from the Length of a string

(LEN([Email]) - CHARINDEX ('@', [Email]))

Filed Under: SQL