# Hexadecimal Literals

Hexadecimal literals can be written using any of the following syntaxes:

* x'`value`'
* X'`value`' (SQL standard)
* 0x`value` (ODBC)

`value` is a sequence of hexadecimal digits (from `0` to `9` and from `A` to `F`). The case of the digits does not matter. With the first two syntaxes, `value` must consist of an even number of digits. With the last syntax, digits can be even, and they are treated as if they had an extra 0 at the beginning.

Normally, hexadecimal literals are interpreted as binary string, where each pair of digits represents a character. When used in a numeric context, they are interpreted as integers. (See the example below). In no case can a hexadecimal literal be a decimal number.

The first two syntaxes; `X'`*`value`*`'` and `x'`*`value`*, follow the SQL standard, and behave as a string in all contexts in MariaDB. The latter syntax, `0x`*`value`*, is a MySQL/MariaDB extension for hex hybrids and behaves as a string or as a number depending on context. MySQL treats all syntaxes the same, so there may be different results in MariaDB and MySQL (see below).

## Examples

Representing the `a` character with the three syntaxes explained above:

```sql
SELECT x'61', X'61', 0x61;
+-------+-------+------+
| x'61' | X'61' | 0x61 |
+-------+-------+------+
| a     | a     | a    |
+-------+-------+------+
```

Hexadecimal literals in a numeric context:

```sql
SELECT 0 + 0xF, -0xF;
+---------+------+
| 0 + 0xF | -0xF |
+---------+------+
|      15 |  -15 |
+---------+------+
```

### Fun With Types

```sql
CREATE TABLE t1 (a INT, b VARCHAR(10));
INSERT INTO t1 VALUES (0x31, 0x61),(COALESCE(0x31), COALESCE(0x61));

SELECT * FROM t1;
+------+------+
| a    | b    |
+------+------+
|   49 | a    |
|    1 | a    |
+------+------+
```

The reason for the differing results above is that when 0x31 is inserted directly to the column, it's treated as a number, while when 0x31 is passed to [COALESCE()](/docs/server/reference/sql-structure/operators/comparison-operators/coalesce.md), it's treated as a string, because:

* `HEX` values have a string data type by default.
* `COALESCE()` has the same data type as the argument.

### Differences Between MariaDB and MySQL

```sql
SELECT x'0a'+0;
+---------+
| x'0a'+0 |
+---------+
|       0 |
+---------+
1 row in set, 1 warning (0.00 sec)

Warning (Code 1292): Truncated incorrect DOUBLE value: '\x0A'

SELECT X'0a'+0;
+---------+
| X'0a'+0 |
+---------+
|       0 |
+---------+
1 row in set, 1 warning (0.00 sec)

Warning (Code 1292): Truncated incorrect DOUBLE value: '\x0A'

SELECT 0x0a+0;
+--------+
| 0x0a+0 |
+--------+
|     10 |
+--------+
```

In MySQL (up until at least MySQL 8.0.26):

```sql
SELECT x'0a'+0;
+---------+
| x'0a'+0 |
+---------+
|      10 |
+---------+

SELECT X'0a'+0;
+---------+
| X'0a'+0 |
+---------+
|      10 |
+---------+

SELECT 0x0a+0;
+--------+
| 0x0a+0 |
+--------+
|     10 |
+--------+
```

## See Also

* [HEX()](/docs/server/reference/sql-functions/string-functions/hex.md)
* [UNHEX()](/docs/server/reference/sql-functions/string-functions/unhex.md)

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