--Step 1

Declare @STR VarChar(max);

Set @STR=Replicate(cast('*'as varchar(MAX)) ,10000)

Print Len(@Str);

--Step 2

Declare @STR VarChar(max);

Set @STR=Replicate('*' ,10000)

Print Len(@Str);

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i m hardly got the difference between step 1 and step 2 ..please explain both ????