# character_length — DuckDB 1.5.5

Returns the bit-length of the `bit` argument.

- Reference: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.5.5/character_length/
- JSON: /products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/duckdb-1.5.5/functions/character_length.json
- Snapshot ID: duckdb-1.5.5
- Engine: duckdb v1.5.5
- Source ID: d8cdaa33fd
- Binary SHA-256: 8463eb26527b278109cfddffc4606e1019ebefcfe2eac75efc53c76ed8f282d5
- Captured: 2026-09-05T18:37:40.699Z
- Source: https://github.com/duckdb/duckdb/releases/tag/v1.5.5
- Loaded extensions: autocomplete, core_functions, icu, json, parquet, shell
- Alias of: length

## Interpretation

- Choose a snapshot matching the target engine and build. The default is captured from the published Haybarn WASM package used by the browser playground. Historical native snapshots are also available.
- Availability is an observation in the recorded build and extension profile, not a guarantee of support in every installation or in WASM.
- Types and descriptions are declarations from duckdb_functions(). Binding can specialize result types. Null means not supplied by the catalog; do not invent defaults, optionality, argument mode, or table output columns.
- Raw parameter arrays preserve catalog order for scalar/aggregate/macro functions. Raw table arguments are alphabetical. Use callingConvention for engine-confirmed positional order and named arguments; null modes are unrecorded. Named does not mean optional. Macro defaults and special named variadic behavior are not supplied by duckdb_functions().
- Catalog examples are source material and may require data or extensions. runnableExamples contains separately verified SQL for the pinned WASM package; sample-data adaptations and guide examples are labeled separately.
- Guide annotations and recipes are separate editorial content. The browser runner always uses Haybarn WASM 1.5.5-rc3, independently of the documentation snapshot.
- All URLs beginning with / are relative to the origin hosting this document. Exports require no JavaScript, cookies, API key, or browser engine.

## Overloads

### overload-2e7d9cffe0206753

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
character_length(bit: BIT) → BIGINT
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.5.5/character_length/#overload-2e7d9cffe0206753

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| bit | BIT | not recorded |

Declared return type: BIGINT. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

### overload-7470b771f1ea5400

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
character_length(list: ANY[]) → BIGINT
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.5.5/character_length/#overload-7470b771f1ea5400

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| list | ANY[] | not recorded |

Declared return type: BIGINT. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

Returns the length of the `list`.

### overload-0445429a858200ae

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
character_length(string: VARCHAR) → BIGINT
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.5.5/character_length/#overload-0445429a858200ae

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| string | VARCHAR | not recorded |

Declared return type: BIGINT. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

Number of characters in `string`.


## Guide recipes

No guide recipes.

## Engine catalog examples

Source examples may require additional data or extensions. Expressions are wrapped in SELECT; execution verification is not recorded.

Reported for: overload-2e7d9cffe0206753

```sql
SELECT character_length(42::TINYINT::BIT);
```

Reported for: overload-7470b771f1ea5400

```sql
SELECT character_length([1,2,3]);
```

Reported for: overload-0445429a858200ae

```sql
SELECT character_length('Hello🦆');
```

## Runnable examples

Executed successfully in Haybarn WASM 1.5.5-rc3. Sample data and guide examples are separate from the original catalog.

```sql
SELECT character_length(42::TINYINT::BIT);
```

```sql
SELECT character_length([1,2,3]);
```

```sql
SELECT character_length('Hello🦆');
```

## Additional DuckDB documentation

- [Text Functions](https://duckdb.org/docs/current/sql/functions/text#text-functions-and-operators)
- [Text Functions](https://duckdb.org/docs/current/sql/functions/text.html#text-functions-and-operators)

## Observed availability

| Snapshot | Observed | Overloads | JSON |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| haybarn-1.5.5-rc3 | present | 3 | [reference](/products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/haybarn-1.5.5-rc3/functions/character_length.json) |
| duckdb-1.5.5 | present | 3 | [reference](/products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/duckdb-1.5.5/functions/character_length.json) |
| duckdb-1.4.4 | present | 3 | [reference](/products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/duckdb-1.4.4/functions/character_length.json) |
| duckdb-1.3.2 | present | 3 | [reference](/products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/duckdb-1.3.2/functions/character_length.json) |

Engine catalog documentation is derived from MIT-licensed Haybarn and DuckDB. [Notices](/third-party-notices.txt).