How to Limit Query Results for MS SQL Server Databases Using Top
MS SQL Server provides the top syntax that can be used in SQL select queries to limit the records returned from a query. This is especially useful when querying very large tables in cases where the user only cares about a subset of the records. Listed below are examples of how to use the top syntax.
Example 1: Returning the first 100 rows from a table called employee:
select top 100 * from employee
Example 2: Returning the top 20% of rows from a table called employee:
select top 20 percent * from employee
Many other databases also support limiting rows returned from queries. Listed below are links that show how to limit rows for other popular databases:
- Cassandra Limit Rows
- DB2 Limit Rows
- Derby Limit Rows
- Firebird Limit Rows
- H2 Limit Rows
- HSQLDB Limit Rows
- Informix Limit Rows
- MySQL Limit Rows
- Oracle Limit Rows
- Pervasive Limit Rows
- PostgreSQL Limit Rows
- Redshift Limit Rows
- Salesforce Limit Rows
- SimpleDB Limit Rows
- SQLite Limit Rows
- Sybase Limit Rows
- Teradata Limit Rows
