equal_null function

Applies to: Databricks SQL Databricks Runtime 11.3 LTS and above

Returns true if expr1 equals expr2 or both expressions are NULL, or false otherwise. This function differs from = (eq sign) operator, by treating NULL as a comparable value.

equal_null ( expr1, expr2 )

• expr1: An expression of any comparable type.
• expr2: An expression sharing a least common type with expr1.

A BOOLEAN.

> SELECT equal_null(2, 2);
 true

> SELECT equal_null(2, 1);
 false

> SELECT equal_null(NULL, 1);
 false

> SELECT NULL == 1;
 NULL

> SELECT equal_null(NULL, NULL);
 true

> SELECT NULL == NULL;
 NULL

• < (lt sign) operator
• <= (lt eq sign) operator
• > (gt sign) operator
• >= (gt eq sign) operator
• <=> (lt eq gt sign) operator
• != (bangeq sign) operator
• = (eq sign) operator
• == (eq eq sign) operator
• <> (lt gt sign) operator
• SQL data type rules