Difference between Windows Collation and SQL Collation?

guidf0147

Hi,everyone
what is the difference between Windows Collation and SQL Collation?

rdebath

AIUI the sort order is different and possibly also the exact semantics of UPPERCASE and LOWERCASE.

Though this may only apply to SQL unicode strings.

I normally use the Windows Collation.

Marije_Brummel

There is a lot of overlap in the collations for windows and SQL.

When Microsoft SQL Server started years ago they had their just own collations. Later they decided (wisely) to merge with Windows collations.

Today, the SQL Collations still exist and are supported for backwards compatibility.

Best practive is for new systems to start with Windows collations.

David_Singleton

Mark Brummel wrote:

There is a lot of overlap in the collations for windows and SQL.

When Microsoft SQL Server started years ago they had their just own collations. Later they decided (wisely) to merge with Windows collations.

Today, the SQL Collations still exist and are supported for backwards compatibility.

Best practive is for new systems to start with Windows collations.

:thumbsup:

Thanks for that. I never use them, but was always curious where SQL Collations came from.