Which operator can be used in SQL to show records with a specific pattern?

The wildcard operator is essential in SQL for searching and matching records that fit a specified pattern. When using the wildcard operator, you can perform partial matches instead of matching entire strings or values. This is particularly useful in scenarios where you want to retrieve records that contain certain letters, words, or sequences, allowing for greater flexibility in querying data.

For example, using the LIKE operator in conjunction with wildcards such as % (which represents zero or more characters) or _ (which represents a single character) enables you to conduct searches that meet specific criteria. A query like SELECT * FROM customers WHERE name LIKE 'A%' would return all customer names starting with the letter 'A'.

This functionality is what sets the wildcard operator apart from the other types of operators listed. Comparison operators are used to compare two values, arithmetic operators perform mathematical calculations, and logical operators combine or modify the conditions of queries. Each of these serves a distinct purpose in SQL but is not specifically designed for pattern matching in the way that the wildcard operator is.