---
title: "Types in each database"
description: "The SQL type IntoSQL gives each kind of value in PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, SQL Server and Oracle, and when it picks each one."
canonical: https://intosql.com/docs/types
last_updated: 2026-10-15
---

# Types in each database

IntoSQL reads every value in a column before it decides the column's type, then picks the narrowest type the database has that holds them all. A column of `0` and `1` with `sí` and `no` is a boolean, a column of codes like `00127` stays text, and decimals keep their exact digits.

Sizes come from the data: `varchar(n)` is as long as the longest value, and `numeric(p,s)` has as many digits and decimal places as the widest number. When a row of values wouldn't fit a type's limit, the next type in the list takes over. The tables below come from the engine's own type map, in the order it tries them.

> **Note:** A column's type can always be overridden: keep it as text in the converter, with `--text` on the command line, or with `as_text` in the [conversion spec](/docs/api/spec).


## PostgreSQL

| Value | Type | When |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yes and no | `boolean` | Otherwise |
| Whole numbers | `integer` | Otherwise |
| Large whole numbers | `bigint` | Otherwise |
| Decimals | `numeric(p,s)` | Otherwise |
| Floating-point numbers | `double precision` | Otherwise |
| Dates | `date` | Otherwise |
| Times of day | `time` | Otherwise |
| Dates with a time | `timestamp` | Otherwise |
| Dates with a time and offset | `timestamptz` | Otherwise |
| Text | `text` | Otherwise |

## MySQL

| Value | Type | When |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yes and no | `tinyint(1)` | Otherwise |
| Whole numbers | `int` | Otherwise |
| Large whole numbers | `bigint` | Otherwise |
| Decimals | `decimal(p,s)` | Up to 30 decimal places |
| Decimals | `double` | Otherwise |
| Floating-point numbers | `double` | Otherwise |
| Dates | `date` | Otherwise |
| Times of day | `time(6)` | When values carry fractions of a second |
| Times of day | `time` | Otherwise |
| Dates with a time | `datetime(6)` | When values carry fractions of a second |
| Dates with a time | `datetime` | Otherwise |
| Dates with a time and offset | `datetime(6)` | When values carry fractions of a second |
| Dates with a time and offset | `datetime` | Otherwise |
| Text | `varchar(n)` | Up to 255 characters, while the row stays within the table's row size |
| Text | `text` | Up to 65,535 bytes |
| Text | `mediumtext` | Up to 16,777,215 bytes |
| Text | `longtext` | Otherwise |

## MariaDB

| Value | Type | When |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yes and no | `tinyint(1)` | Otherwise |
| Whole numbers | `int` | Otherwise |
| Large whole numbers | `bigint` | Otherwise |
| Decimals | `decimal(p,s)` | Up to 30 decimal places |
| Decimals | `double` | Otherwise |
| Floating-point numbers | `double` | Otherwise |
| Dates | `date` | Otherwise |
| Times of day | `time(6)` | When values carry fractions of a second |
| Times of day | `time` | Otherwise |
| Dates with a time | `datetime(6)` | When values carry fractions of a second |
| Dates with a time | `datetime` | Otherwise |
| Dates with a time and offset | `datetime(6)` | When values carry fractions of a second |
| Dates with a time and offset | `datetime` | Otherwise |
| Text | `varchar(n)` | Up to 255 characters, while the row stays within the table's row size |
| Text | `text` | Up to 65,535 bytes |
| Text | `mediumtext` | Up to 16,777,215 bytes |
| Text | `longtext` | Otherwise |

## SQLite

| Value | Type | When |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yes and no | `BOOLEAN` | Otherwise |
| Whole numbers | `INTEGER` | Otherwise |
| Large whole numbers | `INTEGER` | Otherwise |
| Decimals | `NUMERIC(p,s)` | Up to 15 digits |
| Decimals | `TEXT` | Otherwise |
| Floating-point numbers | `REAL` | Otherwise |
| Dates | `DATE` | Otherwise |
| Times of day | `TIME` | Otherwise |
| Dates with a time | `DATETIME` | Otherwise |
| Dates with a time and offset | `DATETIME` | Otherwise |
| Text | `TEXT` | Otherwise |

## SQL Server

| Value | Type | When |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yes and no | `bit` | Otherwise |
| Whole numbers | `int` | Otherwise |
| Large whole numbers | `bigint` | Otherwise |
| Decimals | `decimal(p,s)` | Otherwise |
| Floating-point numbers | `float` | Otherwise |
| Dates | `date` | Otherwise |
| Times of day | `time` | Otherwise |
| Dates with a time | `datetime2` | Otherwise |
| Dates with a time and offset | `datetimeoffset` | Otherwise |
| Text | `nvarchar(n)` | Up to 4,000 characters |
| Text | `nvarchar(max)` | Otherwise |

## Oracle

| Value | Type | When |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yes and no | `NUMBER(1)` | Otherwise |
| Whole numbers | `NUMBER(10)` | Otherwise |
| Large whole numbers | `NUMBER(19)` | Otherwise |
| Decimals | `NUMBER(p,s)` | Otherwise |
| Floating-point numbers | `BINARY_DOUBLE` | Otherwise |
| Dates | `DATE` | Otherwise |
| Times of day | `INTERVAL DAY(0) TO SECOND` | Otherwise |
| Dates with a time | `TIMESTAMP` | Otherwise |
| Dates with a time and offset | `TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE` | Otherwise |
| Text | `VARCHAR2(n CHAR)` | Up to 4,000 bytes |
| Text | `CLOB` | Otherwise |