What does the varchar data type store in a relational database?

The varchar data type in a relational database is designed to store a variable number of characters. This means that it can efficiently handle strings that are of different lengths, allowing for more flexibility compared to fixed-length types. For instance, if you define a column as varchar(50), you can store any string of up to 50 characters, using only as much space as needed for the actual string stored. This is particularly useful for applications where the size of the data can vary significantly, such as names, addresses, or other textual information.

In contrast, fixed-length character types would allocate the same amount of space regardless of the actual length of the data being stored, which can lead to wasted space. The other options presented do not accurately describe the varchar data type attributes, focusing instead on aspects unrelated to its purpose. Thus, varchar’s ability to store a variable number of characters makes it an essential and widely used feature in relational database design.