How to Limit Rows in a SQL Server Result Set Using SQL

Are you looking for a way to limit the number of rows returned by a SQL Server query? If so, you're in luck! SQL Server provides a handy way of limiting the number of rows returned in a result set.

The Solution

The solution is to use the TOP keyword. This keyword takes a single argument, which is the number of rows you want to limit the result set to. For example, if you wanted to limit the result set to 10 rows, you would use the following query:

SELECT TOP 10 * FROM table_name;

Examples

Let's look at a few examples of how this keyword can be used. Suppose you have a table called users with the following data:

If you wanted to limit the result set to two rows, you would use the following query:

SELECT TOP 2 * FROM users;

This query would return the first two rows of the table (John 25 and Jane 30).

Additional Info

The TOP keyword is supported by most major databases, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server. However, the syntax may vary slightly depending on the database you are using. For more information, check out the documentation for your particular database. 🤓