Can I use… over(order by …)


Apache DerbyBigQueryDb2 (LUW)H2MariaDBMySQLOracle DBPostgreSQLSQL ServerSQLite20072009201120132015201720192021✓ 3.25.0+⊘ 3.5.7 - 3.23.1✓ 2012+⊘ 2008R2✓ 9.0+⊘ 8.3 - 8.4✓ 11gR1+✓ 8.0.11+⊘ 5.0 - 5.7✓ 10.2+⊘ 5.1 - 10.1✓ 1.4.198+⊘ 1.4.191 - 1.4.197✓ 9.7+✓ 2.0+⊘ 10.15.1.3 - 10.16.1.1

The over accepts the optional order by clause that can be used to establish an order for framing or ranking and navigational window functions.

SELECT *, COUNT(*) OVER(ORDER BY c1, c2)
  FROM …

Note that the order by in over activates the default framing range between unbounded preceding and current row. That means, the result of the query is actually different when the order by clause is removed.

Normative References

The over clause, including the nested order by, is defined in ISO/IEC 9075:2016-2 as part of optional feature T611, “Elementary OLAP operations”.

You can’t catch up on 20 years of SQL evolution in one day. Subscribe the newsletter via E-Mail, Twitter or RSS to gradually catch up and to keep modern-⁠sql.com on your radar.

About the Author

Photo of Markus Winand

Markus Winand provides insights into SQL and shows how different systems support it at modern-sql.com. Previously he made use-the-index-luke.com, which is still actively maintained. Markus can be hired as trainer, speaker and consultant via winand.at.

Buy the Book

Cover of “SQL Performance Explained”: Squirrel running on grass

The essence of SQL tuning in 200 pages

Buy now!
(paperback and/or PDF)

Paperback also available at Amazon.com.

Hire Markus

Markus offers SQL training and consulting for developers working at companies of all sizes.
Learn more »

Connect with Markus Winand

Markus Winand on LinkedInMarkus Winand on XINGMarkus Winand on Twitter
“modern SQL” by Markus Winand is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
Legal | Contact | NO WARRANTY | Trademarks | Privacy and GDPR | CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0 license