Beginner

396. TOP Clause

Learn how SQL Server uses TOP to restrict the number of rows returned.

📘 Lesson 396 of 728 ⏱ 8 min 🎯 Beginner

TOP is a SQL Server feature used to return only a specified number or percentage of rows from a query result.

TOP is important for analysts working with Microsoft SQL Server and is commonly used for top-N analysis.

Return the 10 highest-paid employees.

SQL 
SELECT TOP 10
    EmployeeName,
    Salary
FROM Employees
ORDER BY Salary DESC;

TOP is used in SQL Server for ranking reports, top-performing products, highest-value customers, and quick data previews.

  • TOP is commonly used in SQL Server.
  • It limits the number of returned rows.
  • TOP works well with ORDER BY for top-N analysis.
  • TOP can also support percentages in SQL Server.
  • Other databases may use different syntax.
What is TOP used for?

TOP limits the number of rows returned by a SQL Server query.

Why combine TOP with ORDER BY?

ORDER BY determines which rows are highest or lowest before TOP selects the required number of rows.

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