What is the method for assigning a value to a bigint type in SQL?

Assigning Values to BIGINT in SQL

In SQL, the BIGINT data type is used to store large integer values. When you need to assign a value to a BIGINT column or convert other data types to BIGINT, you can primarily use the CAST or CONVERT functions. These functions allow for explicit type conversion, ensuring data integrity and compatibility.

Using CAST for Type Conversion

The CAST function is a standard SQL function used to convert an expression of one data type to another. Its syntax is straightforward:

SELECT CAST(column_name AS BIGINT) AS new_column_name FROM table_name;

This statement converts the values in column_name to BIGINT and presents them as new_column_name.

Using CONVERT for Type Conversion

The CONVERT function provides similar functionality to CAST but is specific to SQL Server and some other database systems. Its syntax is slightly different:

SELECT CONVERT(BIGINT, column_name) AS new_column_name FROM table_name;

Both CAST and CONVERT achieve the same goal of transforming data into the BIGINT type, which is essential when dealing with large numerical identifiers or calculations in your database.