How to Use a PreparedStatement with an IN Clause in MSSQL

When working with SQL queries in Java, using a PreparedStatement is one of the best practices for preventing SQL injection and improving code readability. However, developers often encounter a common challenge when dealing with the IN clause in Microsoft SQL Server (MSSQL). Unlike a single parameter placeholder, the IN clause typically requires multiple values — and PreparedStatement parameters must be explicitly defined.

In this article, we’ll explore several effective ways to use a PreparedStatement with an IN clause in MSSQL.

✅ Why the IN Clause Is Tricky in PreparedStatements

The IN clause allows filtering results based on a list of possible values:

SELECT * FROM Products WHERE CategoryId IN (1, 2, 3);

But when using Java’s PreparedStatement, you cannot simply bind a list to a single placeholder:

PreparedStatement pstmt = conn.prepareStatement("SELECT * FROM Products WHERE CategoryId IN (?)");
pstmt.setString(1, "1,2,3"); // ❌ This will not work as intended

This fails because the database expects separate values, not a single string containing commas.

💡 Option 1: Dynamically Build Placeholders for Each Parameter

The most common solution is to build the SQL query dynamically by adding one ? placeholder per value in the list.

Example:

List<Integer> ids = Arrays.asList(1, 2, 3);

StringBuilder sql = new StringBuilder("SELECT * FROM Products WHERE CategoryId IN (");

// Add placeholders dynamically
for (int i = 0; i < ids.size(); i++) {
    sql.append("?");
    if (i < ids.size() - 1) sql.append(",");
}
sql.append(")");

PreparedStatement pstmt = conn.prepareStatement(sql.toString());

// Set values
for (int i = 0; i < ids.size(); i++) {
    pstmt.setInt(i + 1, ids.get(i));
}

ResultSet rs = pstmt.executeQuery();

✅ Advantages:

• Fully secure (avoids SQL injection).
• Works with any MSSQL version.
• Easy to implement.

⚠️ Limitations:

• Requires rebuilding the query when the number of parameters changes.
• Not suitable for very large lists (hundreds of parameters).

💡 Option 2: Using Table-Valued Parameters (TVP)

For larger datasets or frequent queries, Table-Valued Parameters (TVPs) are a cleaner and more performant solution.

Step 1: Define a Custom Type in SQL Server

CREATE TYPE IdList AS TABLE (Id INT);

Step 2: Use the Type in a Stored Procedure or Query

CREATE PROCEDURE GetProductsByCategoryIds
    @Ids IdList READONLY
AS
BEGIN
    SELECT * FROM Products WHERE CategoryId IN (SELECT Id FROM @Ids);
END

Step 3: Pass the Table from Java

Using the Microsoft SQL Server JDBC driver, you can pass a structured parameter:

SQLServerDataTable idTable = new SQLServerDataTable();
idTable.addColumnMetadata("Id", java.sql.Types.INTEGER);
for (Integer id : ids) {
    idTable.addRow(id);
}

SQLServerCallableStatement cs = (SQLServerCallableStatement)
        conn.prepareCall("{call GetProductsByCategoryIds(?)}");
cs.setStructured(1, "IdList", idTable);
ResultSet rs = cs.executeQuery();

✅ Advantages:

• High performance.
• Clean, reusable stored procedure.
• Ideal for large sets of values.

⚠️ Limitations:

• Requires defining a SQL type and stored procedure.
• Slightly more complex setup.

💡 Option 3: Using Temporary Tables

Another alternative is to insert your list of IDs into a temporary table and join it in your query.

Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();
stmt.execute("CREATE TABLE #TempIds (Id INT)");

for (Integer id : ids) {
    stmt.execute("INSERT INTO #TempIds (Id) VALUES (" + id + ")");
}

PreparedStatement pstmt = conn.prepareStatement(
    "SELECT * FROM Products WHERE CategoryId IN (SELECT Id FROM #TempIds)"
);
ResultSet rs = pstmt.executeQuery();

✅ Advantages:

• Flexible and reusable within a session.
• Works well for large data sets.

⚠️ Limitations:

• Requires temporary table creation and cleanup.
• Slightly more database overhead.

⚙️ Best Practices

1. Avoid String Concatenation: Always use placeholders or structured parameters to prevent SQL injection.
2. Reuse PreparedStatements: For repeated queries with similar parameter counts, caching can improve performance.
3. Consider Batch Operations: If your goal is to retrieve multiple sets, batching might be more efficient than one large IN clause.

🧠 Conclusion

Handling IN clauses with PreparedStatement in MSSQL requires a bit of creativity, but there are reliable solutions:

• For small lists, build the query dynamically with multiple placeholders.
• For large lists, use Table-Valued Parameters or temporary tables.

By choosing the right approach, you can maintain both performance and security in your SQL Server applications.