What is the purpose of smallint in mysql?

In MySQL, smallint is an integer data type used to store small integer values. It occupies 2 bytes of storage space and can store integer values ranging from -32,768 to 32,767.

Smallint can be used to store smaller integer values in a database, such as representing the status, quantity, age, etc., of an entity. Compared to integer types like int or bigint, smallint takes up less storage space and is suitable for storing smaller range integer values, which can reduce the storage space requirements of the database to a certain extent.