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# PostgreSQL REPEAT() Function

**Summary**: in this tutorial, you will learn how to use the PostgreSQL `REPEAT()` function to repeat a string a specified number of times.

## Introduction to PostgreSQL REPEAT() function

In PostgreSQL, the `REPEAT()` function repeats a string a specified number of times.

Here's the basic syntax of the `REPEAT()` function:

```sql
REPEAT(string, number)
```

In this syntax:

- `string`. The string that you want to repeat.
- `number`. The number of times that you want to repeat the `string` in the resulting string.

The `REPEAT()` function returns a string that repeats `number` times. If the `number` is less than 1, the function returns an empty string.

If `string` or `number` is `NULL`, the `REPEAT()` function returns `NULL`.

The `REPEAT()` function can be particularly useful when you want to format the data for display.

## PostgreSQL REPEAT() function examples

Let's explore some examples of using the `REPEAT()` function.

### 1) Basic REPEAT() function example

The following example uses the `REPEAT()` function to repeat the letter "A" there times:

```sql
SELECT REPEAT('A',3);
```

Output:

```text
 repeat
--------
 AAA
(1 row)
```

In this example, the `REPEAT()` function returns a string `"AAA"` that repeats the letter `"A"` three times.

### 2) Using the REPEAT() function to draw a bar chart

We'll use the `film` table from the [sample database](../postgresql-getting-started/postgresql-sample-database) for the demonstration:

![PostgreSQL REPEAT() Function - Sample Table](https://www.mysqltutorial.org//postgresqltutorial/products.svg)
The following example uses the `REPEAT()` function to create a bar chart illustrating the counts of films based on their ratings:

```sql
SELECT
  rating,
  count(film_id),
  REPEAT(
    '*',
    (
      COUNT(film_id) / 10
    ) :: INT
  ) chart
FROM
  film
GROUP BY
  rating;
```

Output:

```text
 rating | count |         chart
--------+-------+------------------------
 PG-13  |   223 | **********************
 NC-17  |   210 | *********************
 R      |   195 | *******************
 G      |   178 | *****************
 PG     |   194 | *******************
(5 rows)
```

## Summary

- Use the `REPEAT()` function to repeat a string a specified number of times.

---

## Related docs (String Functions)

- [ASCII](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-ascii)
- [CHR](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-chr)
- [CONCAT](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-concat-function)
- [CONCAT_WS](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-concat_ws)
- [FORMAT](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-format)
- [INITCAP](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-initcap)
- [LEFT](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-left)
- [LENGTH](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-length-function)
- [LOWER](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-lower)
- [LPAD](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-lpad)
- [LTRIM](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-ltrim)
- [MD5](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-md5)
- [POSITION](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-position)
- [REGEXP_MATCHES](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-regexp_matches)
- [REGEXP_REPLACE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/regexp_replace)
- [REVERSE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-reverse)
- [REPLACE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-replace)
- [RIGHT](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-right)
- [RPAD](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-rpad)
- [RTRIM](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-rtrim)
- [SPLIT_PART](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-split_part)
- [SUBSTRING](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-substring)
- [TO_CHAR](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-to_char)
- [TO_NUMBER](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-to_number)
- [TRANSLATE](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-translate)
- [TRIM](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-trim-function)
- [UPPER](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-upper)