Integer types (TINYINT, INT, BIGINT) in MySQL

Introduction

Integer types store whole numbers in a database. They help save space and organize data by size.

When you need to store small numbers like age or rating (use TINYINT).

When you want to store regular whole numbers like counts or IDs (use INT).

When you expect very large numbers like big counters or large IDs (use BIGINT).

Syntax

MySQL

column_name TINYINT
column_name INT
column_name BIGINT

TINYINT stores very small numbers (-128 to 127 signed).

INT stores medium size numbers (-2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647 signed).

BIGINT stores very large numbers (-9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807 signed).

Examples

Use TINYINT for small numbers like age (0 to 255 if unsigned).

MySQL

age TINYINT

Use INT for normal whole numbers like user IDs.

MySQL

user_id INT

Use BIGINT for very large numbers like big counters.

MySQL

big_counter BIGINT

Sample Program

This creates a table with three integer columns of different sizes, inserts one row, and selects it.

MySQL

CREATE TABLE example_numbers (
  small_num TINYINT,
  normal_num INT,
  large_num BIGINT
);

INSERT INTO example_numbers VALUES (100, 200000, 9000000000000);

SELECT * FROM example_numbers;

Important Notes

Choosing the right integer type saves space and improves speed.

Unsigned versions store only positive numbers but double the max positive range.

Always pick the smallest type that fits your data to be efficient.

Summary

TINYINT, INT, and BIGINT store whole numbers of different sizes.

Use TINYINT for small numbers, INT for medium, and BIGINT for very large numbers.

Picking the right type helps your database work better and use less space.