The MySQL RTRIM function is used to remove trailing spaces from a given string. Trailing spaces refer to the spaces that appear at the end of a string. This function is particularly useful when dealing with data where spaces at the end may affect comparisons or display.

The RTRIM function operates by scanning a string from its rightmost end and discarding any whitespace characters encountered. It effectively removes any unnecessary spaces that may have been introduced during data entry or processing. This function proves particularly valuable in preparing data for comparison, reporting, and other analytical tasks.

Syntax

The syntax for the RTRIM function is as follows:

RTRIM(str)

Here, str is the input string from which you want to remove trailing spaces.

Example

SELECT RTRIM('   Hello World   ') AS TrimmedString;

In this example, the RTRIM function will remove the trailing spaces from the input string, and the result will be:

TrimmedString
Hello World

It’s important to note that the RTRIM function only removes spaces from the end of the string. If there are spaces within the string or at the beginning, they will not be affected.

SELECT RTRIM('   Hello   World   ') AS TrimmedString;

In this case, the result will be:

TrimmedString
   Hello   World

As you can see, only the trailing spaces are removed.

Using functions like RTRIM can be beneficial when working with data stored in databases, especially when you want to ensure consistency in your data or perform accurate comparisons.