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Syntax

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Description

Less than operator. Evaluates both SQL expressions and returns 1 if the left value is less than the right value and 0 if it is not, or NULL if either expression is NULL. If the expressions return different data types, (for instance, a number and a string), performs type conversion.

When used in row comparisons these two queries return the same results:

SELECT (t1.a, t1.b) < (t2.x, t2.y) 
FROM t1 INNER JOIN t2;

SELECT (t1.a < t2.x) OR ((t1.a = t2.x) AND (t1.b < t2.y))
FROM t1 INNER JOIN t2;

Examples

SELECT 2 < 2;
+-------+
| 2 < 2 |
+-------+
|     0 |
+-------+

Type conversion:

SELECT 3<'4';
+-------+
| 3<'4' |
+-------+
|     1 |
+-------+

Case insensitivity - see Character Sets and Collations:

SELECT 'a'<'A';
+---------+
| 'a'<'A' |
+---------+
|       0 |
+---------+