Is there an ANSI SQL alternative to the MYSQL LIMIT keyword? - mysql

Question

Is there an ANSI SQL alternative to the MYSQL LIMIT keyword?
The LIMIT keyword limits the number of rows returned by a SELECT e.g:
SELECT * FROM People WHERE Age > 18 LIMIT 2;
returns 2 rows.
SELECT * FROM People WHERE Age > 18 LIMIT 10, 2;
returns 2 rows after the first 10.

Answer 1

this shows the different ways:
-- DB2
select * from table fetch first 10 rows only
-- Informix
select first 10 * from table
-- Microsoft SQL Server and Access
select top 10 * from table
-- MySQL and PostgreSQL
select * from table limit 10
-- Oracle
select * from (select * from table) where rownum <= 10

Answer 2

Not in SQL:1999.
There are two possible approaches you can use in later standards, with generally low levels of support in today's DBMSs.
In SQL:2008 you can use the DB/2 syntax:
SELECT * FROM things
ORDER BY smell
FETCH FIRST n ROWS ONLY
This only works for “LIMIT n” and not the extended “LIMIT m, n” offset syntax. In SQL:2003 you can use window functions, which can support the extended syntax but is a super PITA:
SELECT * FROM (
SELECT *, ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY smell) AS rn,
FROM things
)
WHERE rn<=n -- or rn BETWEEN m+1 AND m+n
You will more usually use the DBMS-specific methods today.

Answer 3

see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Select_(SQL)#FETCH_FIRST_clause
SELECT * FROM T LIMIT 10 OFFSET 20 -- Netezza, MySQL, PostgreSQL (also supports the standard, since version 8.4), SQLite, HSQLDB, H2
SELECT * from T WHERE ROWNUM <= 10 -- Oracle (also supports the standard, since Oracle8i)
SELECT FIRST 10 * from T -- Ingres
SELECT FIRST 10 * FROM T order by a -- Informix
SELECT SKIP 20 FIRST 10 * FROM T order by c, d -- Informix (row numbers are filtered after order by is evaluated. SKIP clause was introduced in a v10.00.xC4 fixpack)
SELECT TOP 10 * FROM T -- MS SQL Server, Sybase ASE, MS Access
SELECT TOP 10 START AT 20 * FROM T -- Sybase SQL Anywhere (also supports the standard, since version 9.0.1)
SELECT FIRST 10 SKIP 20 * FROM T -- Interbase, Firebird
SELECT * FROM T ROWS 20 TO 30 -- Firebird (since version 2.1)
SELECT * FROM T
WHERE ID_T > 10 FETCH FIRST 10 ROWS ONLY -- DB2
SELECT * FROM T
WHERE ID_T > 20 FETCH FIRST 10 ROWS ONLY -- DB2 (new rows are filtered after comparing with key column of table T)

Answer 4

I don't believe so. All the databases that I'm aware of use vendor-specific keywords for that functionality.

Answer 5

Adding to #jle's answer:
SQLite supports LIMIT (MySQL/PostgreSQL)
InterBase/Firebird support SELECT FIRST and SKIP (like Informix)
Also see Emulate MySQL LIMIT clause in Microsoft SQL Server 2000

Answer 6

HSQL/H2 uses LIMIT like MySQL

Answer 7

Let me link here a related SO question, with a great answer by Lukas Eder and another good answer by bobince:
How universal is the LIMIT statement in SQL?
edit: A few more good reference links, worth to look at in similar cases:
Wikipedia on limiting results and FETCH FIRST in the SELECT statement ;
"Comparison of Different SQL Implementations" on limiting the result sets ;
The jOOQ user manual page on the LIMIT clause from Lukas Eder's answer.