nvarchar255

NVARCHAR255 is a data type commonly found in database systems, particularly those originating from or influenced by Oracle. It represents a variable-length string that can store Unicode characters. The "255" in its name signifies a maximum length of 255 characters. This distinguishes it from fixed-length string types where space is allocated for the maximum possible length regardless of the actual data stored. The 'N' prefix indicates that the data type is designed to handle national character sets, meaning it supports a wider range of characters beyond basic ASCII, including those found in languages from around the world.

Unlike VARCHAR2, which is also a variable-length string type in Oracle, NVARCHAR2 is specifically designed for Unicode. This means that each character can potentially occupy more than one byte of storage, depending on the character itself. The maximum length of 255 characters applies to the number of characters, not necessarily the number of bytes. This data type is useful for storing names, addresses, or any text-based information where the content can vary significantly in length and may include characters from different languages. Its variable-length nature helps in efficient storage by only allocating the space required for the actual data plus a small overhead, rather than a fixed amount.