New and enhanced functions and expressions
SQL Server 2016 introduces several new functions that can help developers to be more productive and efficient. Additionally, by removing limitations in some existing functions, their scope of usage has been enlarged. Now, SQL Server contains more than 300 built-in functions. Here is the list of new or changed functions and expressions in SQL Server 2016:
- Two new string functions
STRING_SPLIT
andSTRING_ESCAPE
- New date function and new expression
DATEFDIFF_BIG
andAT TIME ZONE
- Four new system functions
COMPRESS
,DECOMPRESS
,SESSION_CONTEXT
, andCURRENT_TRANSACTION_ID
- Enhancements in the cryptographic function
HASHBYTES
- Four JSON-related functions
ISSJON
,JSON_VALUE
,JSON_QUERY
,JSON_MODIFY
, and one new rowset functionOPENJSON
STRING_SPLIT
Since SQL Server does not support arrays, when multiple values need to be send to it, developers use a list of values (usually comma-separated ones).
SQL Server 2008 introduced an excellent feature called Table...