Freshness and format

Author: whhender

articles/synapse-analytics/sql/develop-tables-data-types.md

@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ description: Recommendations for defining table data types in Synapse SQL.
 author: filippopovic
 ms.author: fipopovi
 ms.reviewer: whhender
-ms.date: 04/15/2020
+ms.date: 12/17/2024
 ms.service: azure-synapse-analytics
 ms.subservice: sql
-ms.topic: conceptual
+ms.topic: concept-article
 ---
 
 # Table data types in Synapse SQL
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ In this article, you'll find recommendations for defining table data types in Sy
 
 ## Data types
 
-Synapse SQL Dedicated Pool supports the most commonly used data types. For a list of the supported data types, see [data types](/sql/t-sql/statements/create-table-azure-sql-data-warehouse#DataTypes&preserve-view=true) in the CREATE TABLE statement. For Synapse SQL Serverless please refer to article [Query storage files with serverless SQL pool in Azure Synapse Analytics](./query-data-storage.md) and [How to use OPENROWSET using serverless SQL pool in Azure Synapse Analytics](./develop-openrowset.md)
+Synapse SQL Dedicated Pool supports the most commonly used data types. For a list of the supported data types, see [data types](/sql/t-sql/statements/create-table-azure-sql-data-warehouse#DataTypes&preserve-view=true) in the CREATE TABLE statement. For Synapse SQL Serverless, refer to article [Query storage files with serverless SQL pool in Azure Synapse Analytics](./query-data-storage.md) and [How to use OPENROWSET using serverless SQL pool in Azure Synapse Analytics](./develop-openrowset.md)
 
 ## Minimize row length
 
@@ -25,14 +25,14 @@ Minimizing the size of data types shortens the row length, which leads to better
 - Avoid defining character columns with a large default length. For example, if the longest value is 25 characters, then define your column as VARCHAR(25).
 - Avoid using NVARCHAR when you only need VARCHAR.
 - When possible, use NVARCHAR(4000) or VARCHAR(8000) instead of NVARCHAR(MAX) or VARCHAR(MAX).
-- Avoid using floats and decimals with 0 (zero) scale.  These should be TINYINT, SMALLINT, INT or BIGINT.
+- Avoid using floats and decimals with 0 (zero) scale. These should be TINYINT, SMALLINT, INT, or BIGINT.
 
 > [!NOTE]
 > If you are using PolyBase external tables to load your Synapse SQL tables, the defined length of the table row cannot exceed 1 MB. When a row with variable-length data exceeds 1 MB, you can load the row with BCP, but not with PolyBase.
 
 ## Identify unsupported data types
 
-If you are migrating your database from another SQL database, you might encounter data types that are not supported in Synapse SQL. Use this query to discover unsupported data types in your existing SQL schema.
+If you're migrating your database from another SQL database, you might encounter data types that aren't supported in Synapse SQL. Use this query to discover unsupported data types in your existing SQL schema.
 
 ```sql
 SELECT  t.[name], c.[name], c.[system_type_id], c.[user_type_id], y.[is_user_defined], y.[name]
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ WHERE y.[name] IN ('geography','geometry','hierarchyid','image','text','ntext','
 
 ## <a name="unsupported-data-types"></a>Workarounds for unsupported data types
 
-The following list shows the data types that Synapse SQL does not support and gives alternatives that you can use instead of the unsupported data types.
+The following list shows the data types that Synapse SQL doesn't support and gives alternatives that you can use instead of the unsupported data types.
 
 | Unsupported data type | Workaround |
 | --- | --- |
@@ -57,11 +57,11 @@ The following list shows the data types that Synapse SQL does not support and gi
 | [ntext](/sql/t-sql/data-types/ntext-text-and-image-transact-sql?view=azure-sqldw-latest&preserve-view=true) |[nvarchar](/sql/t-sql/data-types/nchar-and-nvarchar-transact-sql?view=azure-sqldw-latest&preserve-view=true) |
 | [sql_variant](/sql/t-sql/data-types/sql-variant-transact-sql?view=azure-sqldw-latest&preserve-view=true) |Split column into several strongly typed columns. |
 | [table](/sql/t-sql/data-types/table-transact-sql?view=azure-sqldw-latest&preserve-view=true) |Convert to temporary tables or consider storing data to storage using [CETAS](../sql/develop-tables-cetas.md). |
-| [timestamp](/sql/t-sql/data-types/date-and-time-types) |Rework code to use [datetime2](/sql/t-sql/data-types/datetime2-transact-sql?view=azure-sqldw-latest&preserve-view=true) and the [CURRENT_TIMESTAMP](/sql/t-sql/functions/current-timestamp-transact-sql?view=azure-sqldw-latest&preserve-view=true) function. Only constants are supported as defaults, therefore current_timestamp cannot be defined as a default constraint. If you need to migrate row version values from a timestamp typed column, then use [BINARY](/sql/t-sql/data-types/binary-and-varbinary-transact-sql?view=azure-sqldw-latest&preserve-view=true)(8) or [VARBINARY](/sql/t-sql/data-types/binary-and-varbinary-transact-sql?view=azure-sqldw-latest&preserve-view=true)(8) for NOT NULL or NULL row version values. |
+| [timestamp](/sql/t-sql/data-types/date-and-time-types) |Rework code to use [datetime2](/sql/t-sql/data-types/datetime2-transact-sql?view=azure-sqldw-latest&preserve-view=true) and the [CURRENT_TIMESTAMP](/sql/t-sql/functions/current-timestamp-transact-sql?view=azure-sqldw-latest&preserve-view=true) function. Only constants are supported as defaults, therefore current_timestamp can't be defined as a default constraint. If you need to migrate row version values from a timestamp typed column, then use [BINARY](/sql/t-sql/data-types/binary-and-varbinary-transact-sql?view=azure-sqldw-latest&preserve-view=true)(8) or [VARBINARY](/sql/t-sql/data-types/binary-and-varbinary-transact-sql?view=azure-sqldw-latest&preserve-view=true)(8) for NOT NULL or NULL row version values. |
 | [xml](/sql/t-sql/xml/xml-transact-sql?view=azure-sqldw-latest&preserve-view=true) |[varchar](/sql/t-sql/data-types/char-and-varchar-transact-sql?view=azure-sqldw-latest&preserve-view=true) |
 | [user-defined type](/sql/relational-databases/native-client/features/using-user-defined-types) |Convert back to the native data type when possible. |
 | default values | Default values support literals and constants only. |
 
-## Next steps
+## Related content
 
-For more information on developing tables, see [Table Overview](develop-overview.md).
+For more information on developing tables, see [the development overview](develop-overview.md).