## Syntax
```mermaid
%%{init: {
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'themeVariables': {
'fontSize': '11px',
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flowchart LR
Start((START)) --> RPAD[RPAD]:::quoted
RPAD --> End((END))
```
## Purpose
The `RPAD` SQL function pads the right-side of a text with a specific set of characters to the given length. When no set of characters given, it will pad with a whitespace.
See also [[LPAD]].
Parameters:
- Input (`varchar2`): Text to be padded.
- Length (`int32`): The length to make the input to.
- Pad text (optional, `varchar2`): Text to add to the input if the length is larger than the input. Defaults to a space (`' '`).
Returns: the padded text, or `null` if the text cannot be padded.
## Examples
The following example pads `hello` to a length of ten characters with `*`:
```sql
select rpad('hello', 10, '*')
-------------------
hello*****
```
The following example pads `hello` to a length of ten characters with spaces:
```sql
select rpad('hello', 10)
-------------------
hello
```
The following example shortens `hello` to a length of three characters since the requested length is less than the length of the input:
```sql
select rpad('hello', 3)
-------------------
hel
```