SQL LTRIM
Removes whitespace from the LEFT side only — TRIM's more surgical sibling, for when only one side needs fixing.
What & Why
LTRIM(text) strips whitespace from the beginning of a string only, leaving trailing whitespace (and everything in the middle) untouched.
See How It Works
BUSINESS QUESTION
Product wants leading spaces removed from feedback comments.
| id | user_id | feature_id | rating | nps_score | comment | created_at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 101 | 1 | 5 | 9 | Clear and useful | 2024-01-25 12:15:00+00 |
| 2 | 102 | 2 | 4 | NULL | Export worked well | 2024-02-20 15:40:00+00 |
| 3 | 103 | 1 | 4 | 7 | Helpful setup flow | 2024-03-18 09:05:00+00 |
| 4 | 104 | 3 | 3 | NULL | Needs clearer timing | 2024-04-08 17:30:00+00 |
EXAMPLE QUERY
SELECT
id AS feedback_id,
LTRIM(comment) AS left_trimmed_comment
FROM product.feedback
WHERE comment IS NOT NULL
ORDER BY feedback_id;RESULT — exact output from the displayed Queryflo rows
| feedback_id | left_trimmed_comment |
|---|---|
| 1 | Clear and useful |
| 2 | Export worked well |
| 3 | Helpful setup flow |
| 4 | Needs clearer timing |
The fixture comments have no leading spaces, so LTRIM preserves them.
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