DP-300 Plan and implement data platform resources Practice Question
You need to create an Azure SQL Database that will be used by a new application. The database must support JSON data storage and querying. Which data type should you use to store JSON documents?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates assume JSON requires a special data type like XML or a binary format, but Azure SQL Database stores JSON as plain text in NVARCHAR, leveraging the same string-based approach used for other semi-structured data.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
NVARCHAR
B is correct because Azure SQL Database uses the NVARCHAR data type to store JSON documents as text. JSON is stored as a string in NVARCHAR columns, which supports Unicode characters and allows the use of built-in JSON functions like JSON_VALUE, JSON_QUERY, OPENJSON, and ISJSON for validation and querying. NVARCHAR(MAX) is recommended for large or variable-length JSON documents.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
TEXT
Why it's wrong here
TEXT is a legacy large-object type that cannot be indexed or compared directly, and it lacks the native JSON type's validation and query support. It is tempting because TEXT was historically used for storing large unstructured payloads before modern data types replaced it.
- ✓
NVARCHAR
Why this is correct
NVARCHAR stores JSON documents as text, and Azure SQL Database's built-in JSON functions — JSON_VALUE, JSON_QUERY and OPENJSON — parse and query that text without a native JSON type. This satisfies the requirement to store and query JSON data, unlike XML or other types.
- ✗
XML
Why it's wrong here
XML stores well-formed XML documents and supports XQuery, not JSON path expressions. It is tempting because it is a semi-structured type with schema validation, but JSON_VALUE, JSON_QUERY and OPENJSON require nvarchar(max), so XML cannot satisfy the JSON querying requirement.
- ✗
VARCHAR
Why it's wrong here
VARCHAR does not support Unicode and is not recommended for JSON.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Securing Data at Rest and in Transit
Key term
Azure SQL Performance Tuning
Azure SQL Performance Tuning is the process of optimizing the speed and efficiency of queries and database operations in Microsoft Azure SQL Database or SQL Managed Instance to reduce latency and improve throughput.
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