If the MySQL documentation is right, it doesn't matter at all in MySQL. VARCHARs up to 255 uses an extra byte for counting the size of the column. There is a reading problem with variable-size records of any kind compared to fixed-size records.
It goes to say that other databases uses different allocation strategies for VARCHARs so the advice can't be carried over. For instance, they might define a fixed-size area together with an optional overflow area. This way one can make it such that most records have a fixed size and gain speedup.
It goes to say that other databases uses different allocation strategies for VARCHARs so the advice can't be carried over. For instance, they might define a fixed-size area together with an optional overflow area. This way one can make it such that most records have a fixed size and gain speedup.