PostgreSQL Window Functions

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Johnniekay
Published May 21, 2024
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Window functions in PostgreSQL provide an amazing feature that enables computing calculations across sets of rows related to the current row in query. These functions empower you to define rows to operate on based on specific criteria, such as a specific range or grouping.

Window functions are defined using an OVER clause that specifies how to partition and order rows for the function to operate on, this clause is what makes the window function different from the normal aggregate function.

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Syntax

In a simple syntax, a window function can be performed over a given column, as seen below:

SELECT employee_id, row_number() OVER (ORDER BY employee_id) AS row_num FROM employees;`

This query uses the employee_id to calculate a unique row number for each employee, ORDER BY within OVER controls the order in which rows are processed by the window function. The generated row number is assigned the column name row_num by the AS row_num part of the syntax.

Below is a table of window functions in PostgreSQL:

Function Syntax Description
Rank() SELECT column_name1, column_name2, column_nameN, rank() OVER (PARTITION BY column_name ORDER BY column_name DESC) FROM table_name; Returns the ranking of the current row.
Row_number() SELECT column_name1, column_name2, column_nameN, row_number() OVER (PARTITION BY column_name ORDER BY column_name DESC) FROM table_name; Returns the number of the current row within its partition, counting from 1.
Dense_rank() SELECT column_name1, column_name2, column_nameN, dense_rank() OVER (PARTITION BY column_name ORDER BY column_name DESC) FROM table_name; Returns the rank of the current row, this function effectively counts groups.
Ntile() SELECT column_name1, column_name2, column_nameN, ntile (Argument) OVER (PARTITION BY column_name ORDER BY column_name DESC) FROM table_name; Returns an integer ranging from 1 to the argument value.
Cume_dist() SELECT column_name1, column_name2, column_nameN, cume_dist() OVER (PARTITION BY column_name ORDER BY column_name ASC) FROM table_name; Returns the cumulative distribution.
Percent_rank() SELECT column_name1, column_name2, column_nameN, percent_rank() OVER (PARTITION BY column_name ORDER BY column_name ASC) FROM table_name; Returns the relative rank of the current row, that is the total partition rows - 1.
First_Value() SELECT column_name1, column_name2, column_nameN, first_value (value) OVER (PARTITION BY column_name ORDER BY column_name ASC) FROM table_name; Returns the -value- of the first row in a window frame defined by partition and order criteria.
Last_value() SELECT column_name1, column_name2, column_nameN, last_value (value) OVER (PARTITION BY column_name ORDER BY column_name ASC) FROM table_name; Returns the -value- of the last row in a window frame.

Example

To understand the Rank() and Row_number() functions, let’s consider the following staff table as an example to demonstrate how these window functions work:

id employee address contact salary
01 John Tokyo +81 5500
02 Kate Beijing +186 5000
03 Tad Mumbai +91 2500
04 Martha Tokyo +727 3500
05 Will Paris +33 4000
06 Ruth Dubai +971 2500
07 Kaka Mumbai +213 4500
08 Tolf Tokyo +44 2000

From the above _staff_ table, to rank the employees using the Rank() function, we select the id, salary, and address columns from the _staff_ table, and then use the RANK() window function to assign a rank to each row based on the _salary_ column within each partition defined by the _address_ column.

SELECT id, salary, address, Rank() OVER (PARTITION BY address ORDER BY salary DESC) FROM staff;`

Breaking down the syntax:

  • The clause SELECT, selects the id, salary, and address columns from the staff table.
  • The Rank() OVER part computes the row number of each row.
  • The (PARTITION BY address ORDER BY salary DESC) clause actively defines how the window function partitions the data.
  • The statement ends with FROM staff, signifying that it operates on the _staff _ table.

This is the output of the above query:

id salary address rank
01 5500 Tokyo 1
04 3500 Tokyo 2
08 2000 Tokyo 3
07 4500 Mumbai 1
03 2500 Mumbai 2
02 5000 Beijing 1
05 4000 Paris 1
06 2500 Dubai 1

In PostgreSQL, the row_number window function plays a useful role by defining the row number of a column. Let’s use the _staff_ table to assign a row number to each row based on the salary column, within each group of rows that have the same address, ordering the rows by salary in descending order within each group.

SELECT id, salary, address, row_number() OVER (PARTITION BY address ORDER BY salary DESC) FROM staff`

Breaking down the syntax:

  • The clause SELECT, selects the id, salary, and address columns from the _staff_ table.
  • The Row_number() OVER part computes the row number of each row.
  • The (PARTITION BY address ORDER BY salary DESC) clause actively defines how the window function partitions the data.
  • PARTITION BY address partitions the rows into groups based on values in the address column.
  • ORDER BY salary DESC allows the rows to be ordered by salary in descending order within each partition.
  • The statement ends with FROM staff, signifying that it operates on the _staff_ table.

This is the output of the above query:

id salary address row_number
01 5500 Tokyo 1
04 3500 Tokyo 2
08 2000 Tokyo 3
07 4500 Mumbai 1
03 2500 Mumbai 2
02 5000 Beijing 1
05 4000 Paris 1
06 2500 Dubai 1

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