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# PostgreSQL REVERSE() Function

**Summary**: in this tutorial, you will learn how to use the PostgreSQL `REVERSE()` function to reverse the characters within a string.

## Introduction to PostgreSQL REVERSE() function

The `REVERSE()` function accepts a string and returns a new string with the order of all characters reversed.

Here's the syntax of the `REVERSE()` function:

```sql
REVERSE(text)
```

In this syntax:

- `text`: The input string that you want to reverse.

The `REVERSE()` function returns a string with the order of all the characters reversed.

The `REVERSE()` function returns `NULL` if the `text` is `NULL`.

## MySQL REVERSE() function examples

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

### 1) Basic PostgreSQL REVERSE() function example

The following example uses the `REVERSE()` function to reverse the string `"SQL"`:

```sql
SELECT REVERSE('SQL');
```

Output:

```text
 reverse
---------
 LQS
(1 row)
```

### 2) Using the PostgreSQL REVERSE() function with table data

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

![customer table](https://neon.com/postgresqltutorial/customer.png)The following example uses the `REVERSE()` function to reverse the first names of customers:

```sql
SELECT
  first_name,
  REVERSE(first_name)
FROM
  customer
ORDER BY
  first_name;
```

Output:

```text
 first_name  |   reverse
-------------+-------------
 Aaron       | noraA
 Adam        | madA
 Adrian      | nairdA
 Agnes       | sengA
```

### 3) Using REVERSE() function to detect palindromes

A palindrome is a string that reads the same forward and backward such as `"radar"`.

You can use the `REVERSE()` function to reverse a string and then compare the reversed string with the original string to determine if it is a palindrome. For example:

First, [create a new table](../postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-create-table) called `words` to store the words:

```sql
CREATE TABLE words(
  id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
  word VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL
);
```

Second, [insert some rows](../postgresql-tutorial/postgresql-insert-multiple-rows) into the `words` table:

```sql
INSERT INTO words(word)
VALUES('radar'), ('level'),('civic'),('man'),('12321'),('madam')
RETURNING *;
```

Output:

```text
 id | word
----+-------
  1 | radar
  2 | level
  3 | civic
  4 | man
  5 | 12321
  6 | madam
(6 rows)
```

Third, determine if a value in the `word` column is a palindrome using the `REVERSE()` function:

```sql
SELECT
  word,
  REVERSE(word),
  (
    word = REVERSE(word)
  ) palindrome
FROM
  words;
```

Output:

```text
 word  | reverse | palindrome
-------+---------+------------
 radar | radar   | t
 level | level   | t
 civic | civic   | t
 man   | nam     | f
 12321 | 12321   | t
 madam | madam   | t
(6 rows)
```

## Summary

- Use the PostgreSQL `REVERSE()` function to reverse the order of characters within a string.

---

## 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)
- [REPEAT](https://neon.com/postgresql/postgresql-string-functions/postgresql-repeat)
- [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)