SQL Top, Limit, Fetch First or ROWNUM Clause

SQL
TOP, LIMIT, FETCH FIRST or

ROWNUM Clause
❮ PreviousNext ❯
The SQL SELECT TOP Clause

The SELECT TOP clause is used to specify the number of records to return.
The SELECT TOP clause is useful on large tables with thousands of records.

Returning a large number of records can impact performance.
Note: Not all database systems support the SELECT TOP clause. MySQL supports

the LIMIT clause to select a limited number of records, while Oracle uses FETCH
FIRST n ROWS ONLY and ROWNUM.
SQL Server / MS Access Syntax:
SELECT TOP number|percent column_name(s)
FROM table_name
WHERE condition;
MySQL Syntax:
SELECT column_name(s)
FROM table_name
WHERE condition
LIMIT number;
Oracle 12 Syntax:
FROM table_name
ORDER BY column_name(s)
FETCH FIRST number ROWS ONLY;
Older Oracle Syntax:

FROM table_name
WHERE ROWNUM <= number;
Older Oracle Syntax (with ORDER BY):
SELECT *
FROM (SELECT column_name(s) FROM table_name ORDER BY column_name(s))
WHERE ROWNUM <= number;
Demo Database
Below is a selection from the "Customers" table in the Northwind sample
database:
CustomerID CustomerName ContactName Address City P

e
1 Alfreds Futterkiste Maria Anders Obere Str. 57 Berlin 1
2 Ana Trujillo Emparedados y Ana Trujillo Avda. de la Constitución México 0

helados 2222 D.F.
3 Antonio Moreno Taquería Antonio Moreno Mataderos 2312 México 0

D.F.
4 Around the Horn Thomas Hardy 120 Hanover Sq. London W
5 Berglunds snabbköp Christina Berguvsvägen 8 Luleå S

Berglund
SQL TOP, LIMIT and FETCH FIRST Examples

The following SQL statement selects the first three records from the
"Customers" table (for SQL Server/MS Access):
Example
SELECT TOP 3 * FROM Customers;
Try it Yourself »
The following SQL statement shows the equivalent example for MySQL:
Example
SELECT * FROM Customers
LIMIT 3;
Try it Yourself »
The following SQL statement shows the equivalent example for Oracle:
Example
FETCH FIRST 3 ROWS ONLY;
SQL TOP PERCENT Example

The following SQL statement selects the first 50% of the records from the
"Customers" table (for SQL Server/MS Access):
Example
SELECT TOP 50 PERCENT * FROM Customers;
Try it Yourself »
Example
FETCH FIRST 50 PERCENT ROWS ONLY;
ADD a WHERE CLAUSE

The following SQL statement selects the first three records from the
"Customers" table, where the country is "Germany" (for SQL Server/MS
Access):
Example
SELECT TOP 3 * FROM Customers
WHERE Country='Germany';
Try it Yourself »
The following SQL statement shows the equivalent example for MySQL:
Example
WHERE Country='Germany'
LIMIT 3;
Try it Yourself »
Example
WHERE Country='Germany'
FETCH FIRST 3 ROWS ONLY;
❮ PreviousNext ❯
COLOR PICKER
LIKE US

Get certified
by completing
a course today!
w3schoolsCERTIFIED.2021
Get started
CODE GAME
Play Game
REPORT ERROR
FORUM
ABOUT
SHOP
Top Tutorials
HTML Tutorial
CSS Tutorial
JavaScript Tutorial
How To Tutorial
SQL Tutorial
Python Tutorial
W3.CSS Tutorial
Bootstrap Tutorial
PHP Tutorial
Java Tutorial
C++ Tutorial
jQuery Tutorial
Top References
HTML Reference
CSS Reference
JavaScript Reference
SQL Reference
Python Reference
W3.CSS Reference
Bootstrap Reference
PHP Reference
HTML Colors
Java Reference
Angular Reference
jQuery Reference
Top Examples
HTML Examples
CSS Examples
JavaScript Examples
How To Examples
SQL Examples
Python Examples
W3.CSS Examples
Bootstrap Examples
PHP Examples
Java Examples
XML Examples
jQuery Examples
Web Courses
HTML Course
CSS Course
JavaScript Course
Front End Course
SQL Course
Python Course
PHP Course
jQuery Course
Java Course
C++ Course
C# Course
XML Course
Get Certified »
W3Schools is optimized for learning and training. Examples might be simplified

to improve reading and learning. Tutorials, references, and examples are
constantly reviewed to avoid errors, but we cannot warrant full correctness of
all content. While using W3Schools, you agree to have read and accepted
our terms of use, cookie and privacy policy.
Copyright 1999-2021 by Refsnes Data. All Rights Reserved.

W3Schools is Powered by W3.CSS.

SQL Top, Limit, Fetch First or ROWNUM Clause

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SQL Top, Limit, Fetch First or ROWNUM Clause

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

SQL Top, Limit, Fetch First or ROWNUM Clause

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SQL

TOP, LIMIT, FETCH FIRST or

The SQL SELECT TOP Clause

The SELECT TOP clause is useful on large tables with thousands of records.

Note: Not all database systems support the SELECT TOP clause. MySQL supports

SQL Server / MS Access Syntax:

Older Oracle Syntax:

Older Oracle Syntax (with ORDER BY):

CustomerID CustomerName ContactName Address City P

1 Alfreds Futterkiste Maria Anders Obere Str. 57 Berlin 1

2 Ana Trujillo Emparedados y Ana Trujillo Avda. de la Constitución México 0

3 Antonio Moreno Taquería Antonio Moreno Mataderos 2312 México 0

4 Around the Horn Thomas Hardy 120 Hanover Sq. London W

5 Berglunds snabbköp Christina Berguvsvägen 8 Luleå S

SQL TOP, LIMIT and FETCH FIRST Examples

SQL TOP PERCENT Example

ADD a WHERE CLAUSE

W3Schools is optimized for learning and training. Examples might be simplified

Copyright 1999-2021 by Refsnes Data. All Rights Reserved.

You might also like