# Character string without wildcards

A LIKE predicate is transformed into a predicate that uses the `=` operator (and a NOT LIKE predicate is transformed into one that uses `<>`) when the character string does not contain any wildcards.

For example,

    country LIKE 'Chile'

becomes

    country = 'Chile'

and

    country NOT LIKE 'Chile'

becomes

    country <> 'Chile'

Predicates that use the `=` operator are optimizable. Predicates that use the <> operator are sargable.

Parent topic: LIKE transformations
Related reference
Character string beginning with constant
Unknown parameter