[discrete]
[[esql-to_string]]
=== `TO_STRING`

*Alias*

`TO_STR`

[.text-center]
image::esql/functions/signature/to_string.svg[Embedded,opts=inline]

*Parameters*

`v`::
Input value. The input can be a single- or multi-valued column or an expression.

*Description*

Converts an input value into a string.

include::types/to_string.asciidoc[]

*Example*

[source.merge.styled,esql]
----
include::{esql-specs}/string.csv-spec[tag=to_string]
----
[%header.monospaced.styled,format=dsv,separator=|]
|===
include::{esql-specs}/string.csv-spec[tag=to_string-result]
|===

It also works fine on multivalued fields:

[source.merge.styled,esql]
----
include::{esql-specs}/string.csv-spec[tag=to_string_multivalue]
----
[%header.monospaced.styled,format=dsv,separator=|]
|===
include::{esql-specs}/string.csv-spec[tag=to_string_multivalue-result]
|===