MySQL Performance: MySQL => Efficiency: Num vs Char

Efficiency: Num vs Char [message #455]

Wed, 06 December 2006 15:40

bengoerz
Messages: 6
Registered: November 2006

Junior Member

Hypothetically, what is the speed difference in evaluating a WHERE clause using a number vs. a character? For instance:
1. Select * WHERE key = "xyz"; vs.
2. Select * WHERE key = 1234;

The context is this: I want to generate a unique email message to a user on my website every time a new row is placed in a database under that username. This message should have a link directly to a page that will display the data from this row, such as:
http://mysite.com/display.php?row=98765
In order to keep this reasonably private, I want to generate a unique key as part of the row and include this in the URL sent in the email, such as:
http://mysite.com/display.php?row=98765&key=123
I anticipate activity spikes, so making the verification as efficient as possible is important.

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