PostgreSQL TRIM() Function

The PostgreSQL TRIM() function removes all specified characters either from the beginning or the end of a string.

Syntax

TRIM( [LEADING | TRAILING | BOTH]  [trim_character] FROM string)

Parameters

`LEADING`	`Optional.` Specify to remove the trim_character from the front of the string.
`TRAILING`	`Optional.` Specify to remove the trim_character from the end of the string.
`BOTH`	`Optional.` Specify to remove the trim_character from the front and end of the string.
`trim_character`	`Optional.` Specify the characters to be trimmed from string. If omitted, spaces will be removed.
`string`	`Required.` Specify the string to trim.

Return Value

Returns the trimmed version of the specified string.

Example 1:

The example below shows the usage of TRIM() function.

SELECT TRIM('  SQL Tutorial    ');
Result: 'SQL Tutorial'

SELECT TRIM(BOTH ' ' FROM '  SQL Tutorial    ');
Result: 'SQL Tutorial'

SELECT TRIM(TRAILING ' ' FROM '  SQL Tutorial    ');
Result: '  SQL Tutorial'

SELECT TRIM(LEADING ' ' FROM '  SQL Tutorial    ');
Result: 'SQL Tutorial    '

SELECT TRIM(' ' FROM '  SQL Tutorial    ');
Result: 'SQL Tutorial'

SELECT TRIM(LEADING '0' FROM '000123');
Result: '123'

SELECT TRIM(TRAILING '1' FROM 'John1');
Result: 'John'

SELECT TRIM(TRAILING '123' FROM 'John123');
Result: 'John'

SELECT TRIM(BOTH '123' FROM '123John123');
Result: 'John'

SELECT TRIM(BOTH 'xyz' FROM 'xxzyTRIMxyyz');
Result: 'TRIM'

Example 2:

Consider a database table called Employee. When the following INSERT statements are executed, the Name column will contain records with leading and trailing spaces.

INSERT INTO Employee VALUES ('        John   ', 'London', 3000);
INSERT INTO Employee VALUES ('        Marry   ', 'New York', 2750);
INSERT INTO Employee VALUES ('      Jo    ', 'Paris', 2800);
INSERT INTO Employee VALUES ('      Kim    ', 'Amsterdam', 3100);

-- see the result
SELECT * FROM Employee;

The query will produce the following result:

Name	City	Salary
John	London	3000
Marry	New York	2750
Jo	Paris	2800
Kim	Amsterdam	3100

To remove the leading and trailing spaces from the Name column of the Employee table, the following query can be used:

UPDATE Employee SET Name = TRIM(Name);

-- see the result
SELECT * FROM Employee;

This will produce the following result:

Name	City	Salary
John	London	3000
Marry	New York	2750
Jo	Paris	2800
Kim	Amsterdam	3100

❮ PostgreSQL Functions