Is this the proper way to do boolean test in SQL?

Question

Assume active is a "boolean field" (tiny int, with 0 or 1)

# Find all active users
select * from users where active 

# Find all inactive users
select * from users where NOT active

In words, can the "NOT" operator be applied directly on the boolean field?

Answer 1

In SQL Server you would generally use. I don't know about other database engines.

select * from users where active = 0

Answer 2

A boolean in SQL is a bit field. This means either 1 or 0. The correct syntax is:

select * from users where active = 1 /* All Active Users */

or

select * from users where active = 0 /* All Inactive Users */

Answer 3

MS SQL 2008 can also use the string version of true or false...

select * from users where active = 'true'
-- or --
select * from users where active = 'false'

Answer 4

With Postgres, you may use

select * from users where active

or

select * from users where active = 't'

If you want to use integer value, you have to consider it as a string. You can't use integer value.

select * from users where active = 1   -- Does not work

select * from users where active = '1' -- Works

Answer 5

I personally prefer using char(1) with values 'Y' and 'N' for databases that don't have a native type for boolean. Letters are more user frendly than numbers which assume that those reading it will now that 1 corresponds to true and 0 corresponds to false.

'Y' and 'N' also maps nicely when using (N)Hibernate.

Answer 6

PostgreSQL supports boolean types so in postgreSQL I guess your sql would work perfectly