---
title: Cast values to different types
description: 'Use the CAST function or double-colon :: casting shorthand syntax to cast a value to a specific type.'
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/query-data/sql/cast-types/
estimated_tokens: 4958
product: InfluxDB Cloud Serverless
version: cloud-serverless
---

# Cast values to different types

Use the `CAST` function or double-colon `::` casting shorthand syntax to cast a value to a specific type.

```sql
-- CAST function
SELECT CAST(1234.5 AS BIGINT)

-- Double-colon casting shorthand
SELECT 1234.5::BIGINT
```

-   [Cast to a string type](#cast-to-a-string-type)
-   [Cast to numeric types](#cast-to-numeric-types)
    -   [Float](#cast-to-a-float)
    -   [Integer](#cast-to-an-integer)
    -   [Unsigned integer](#cast-to-an-unsigned-integer)
-   [Cast to a boolean type](#cast-to-a-boolean-type)
-   [Cast to a timestamp type](#cast-to-a-timestamp-type)

Casting operations can be performed on a column expression or a literal value. For example, the following query uses the [get started sample data](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/get-started/write/#construct-line-protocol) and:

-   Casts all values in the `time` column to integers (Unix nanosecond timestamps).
-   Casts the literal string value `'1234'` to a 64-bit float for each row.

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**:: shorthand:**

```sql
SELECT
  time::BIGINT AS unix_time,
  '1234'::DOUBLE AS string_to_float
FROM home
LIMIT 5
```

**CAST():**

```sql
SELECT
  CAST(time AS BIGINT) AS unix_time,
  CAST('1234' AS DOUBLE) AS string_to_float
FROM home
LIMIT 5
```

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| unix_time | string_to_float |
| --- | --- |
| 1641024000000000000 | 1234 |
| 1641027600000000000 | 1234 |
| 1641031200000000000 | 1234 |
| 1641034800000000000 | 1234 |
| 1641038400000000000 | 1234 |

## Cast to a string type

Use the `STRING`, `CHAR`, `VARCHAR`, or `TEXT` type in a casting operation to cast a value to a string.

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**:: shorthand:**

```sql
value::STRING
value::CHAR
value::VARCHAR
value::TEXT
```

**CAST():**

```sql
CAST(value AS STRING)
CAST(value AS CHAR)
CAST(value AS VARCHAR)
CAST(value AS TEXT)
```

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SQL supports casting the following to a string value:

-   **Floats**
-   **Integers**
-   **Unsigned integers**
-   **Booleans**
-   **Timestamps**

## Cast to numeric types

The InfluxDB SQL implementation supports 64-bit floats (`DOUBLE`), integers (`BIGINT`), and unsigned integers (`BIGINT UNSIGNED`).

### Cast to a float

Use the `DOUBLE` type in a casting operation to cast a value to a 64-bit float.

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**:: shorthand:**

```sql
value::DOUBLE
```

**CAST():**

```sql
CAST(value AS DOUBLE)
```

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SQL supports casting the following to a float value:

-   **Strings**: Returns the float equivalent of the numeric string (`[0-9]`). The following string patterns are also supported:
    
    -   Scientific notation (`'123.4E+10'`)
    -   Infinity (`'±Inf'`)
    -   NaN (`'NaN'`)
-   **Integers**
    
-   **Unsigned integers**
    

### Cast to an integer

Use the `BIGINT` type in a casting operation to cast a value to a 64-bit signed integer.

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**:: shorthand:**

```sql
value::BIGINT
```

**CAST():**

```sql
CAST(value AS BIGINT)
```

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SQL supports casting the following to an integer:

-   **Strings**: Returns the integer equivalent of the numeric string (`[0-9]`).
-   **Floats**: Truncates the float value at the decimal.
-   **Unsigned integers**: Returns the signed integer equivalent of the unsigned integer.
-   **Booleans**: Returns `1` for `true` and `0` for `false`.
-   **Timestamps**: Returns the equivalent [nanosecond epoch timestamp](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/glossary/#unix-timestamp).

### Cast to an unsigned integer

Use the `BIGINT UNSIGNED` type in a casting operation to cast a value to a 64-bit unsigned integer.

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**:: shorthand:**

```sql
value::BIGINT UNSIGNED
```

**CAST():**

```sql
CAST(value AS BIGINT UNSIGNED)
```

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SQL supports casting the following to an unsigned integer:

-   **Strings**: Returns the unsigned integer equivalent of the numeric string (`[0-9]`).
-   **Floats**: Truncates the float value at the decimal.
-   **Integers**: Returns the unsigned integer equivalent of the signed integer.
-   **Booleans**: Returns `1` for `true` and `0` for `false`.
-   **Timestamps**: Returns the equivalent [nanosecond epoch timestamp](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/glossary/#unix-timestamp).

## Cast to a boolean type

Use the `BOOLEAN` type in a casting operation to cast a value to a boolean.

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**:: shorthand:**

```sql
value::BOOLEAN
```

**CAST():**

```sql
CAST(value AS BOOLEAN)
```

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SQL supports casting the following to a boolean:

-   **Strings**
    -   Return `true`:
        -   `'true'` *(case-insensitive)*
        -   `'t'`, *(case-insensitive)*
        -   `'1'`
    -   Return `false`:
        -   `'false'` *(case-insensitive)*
        -   `'f'` *(case-insensitive)*
        -   `'0'`
-   **Integers**
    -   Returns `true`: positive non-zero integer
    -   Returns `false`: `0`
-   **Unsigned integers**
    -   Returns `true`: non-zero unsigned integer
    -   Returns `false`: `0`

## Cast to a timestamp type

Use the `TIMESTAMP` type in a casting operation to cast a value to a timestamp.

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**:: shorthand:**

```sql
value::TIMESTAMP
```

**CAST():**

```sql
CAST(value AS TIMESTAMP)
```

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SQL supports casting the following to a timestamp:

-   **Strings**: Returns the timestamp equivalent of the string value. The following RFC3339 and RFC339-like string patterns are supported:
    
    -   `YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00.000Z`
    -   `YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00.000-00:00`
    -   `YYYY-MM-DD 00:00:00.000-00:00`
    -   `YYYY-MM-DDT00:00:00Z`
    -   `YYYY-MM-DD 00:00:00.000`
    -   `YYYY-MM-DD 00:00:00`
    -   `YYYY-MM-DD`
-   **Integers**: Parses the integer as a Unix *second* timestamp and returns the equivalent timestamp.
    
-   **Unsigned integers**: Parses the unsigned integer as a Unix nanosecond timestamp and returns the equivalent timestamp.
    

#### Cast Unix nanosecond timestamps to a timestamp type

To cast a Unixnanosecond timestamp to a timestamp type, first cast the numeric value to an unsigned integer (`BIGINT UNSIGNED`) and then a timestamp. You can also use the [`to_timestamp_nanos`](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/sql/functions/time-and-date/#to_timestamp_nanos) function.

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**:: shorthand:**

```sql
1704067200000000000::BIGINT UNSIGNED::TIMESTAMP
```

**CAST():**

```sql
CAST(CAST(1704067200000000000 AS BIGINT UNSIGNED) AS TIMESTAMP)
```

**to_timestamp_nanos:**

```sql
to_timestamp_nanos(1704067200000000000)
```

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### Timestamp functions

You can also use the following SQL functions to cast a value to a timestamp type:

-   [`to_timestamp`](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/sql/functions/time-and-date/#to_timestamp)
-   [`to_timestamp_millis`](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/sql/functions/time-and-date/#to_timestamp_millis)
-   [`to_timestamp_micros`](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/sql/functions/time-and-date/#to_timestamp_micros)
-   [`to_timestamp_nanos`](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/sql/functions/time-and-date/#to_timestamp_nanos)
-   [`to_timestamp_seconds`](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/sql/functions/time-and-date/#to_timestamp_seconds)

#### Related

-   [SQL data types](/influxdb3/cloud-serverless/reference/sql/data-types/)