SQL ORDER BY Keyword

 SQL ORDER BY Keyword

The ORDER BY keyword in SQL is used to sort query results by one or more columns—either in ascending or descending order.

It is typically placed at the end of a SELECT query.

1. Basic Syntax

• ASC = ascending (default)

• DESC = descending

2. Example: Sort by One Column

Sort employees by salary (lowest → highest):

Sort employees by salary (highest → lowest):

3. Sorting by Multiple Columns

If the first column has ties, SQL will sort by the next column.

Here:

1. Sort by department alphabetically

2. Within each department, sort by salary descending

4. ORDER BY with Expressions

You can sort using expressions or functions.

Example:

5. ORDER BY with Aliases

Aliases defined in SELECT can be used in ORDER BY.

6. ORDER BY for Text, Numbers, and Dates

SQL sorts based on column data type:

• Text → alphabetical

• Numbers → numeric

• Dates → chronological

Example:

7. ORDER BY with NULL Values

Different databases sort NULLs differently:

To control placement:

(Works in PostgreSQL, Oracle)

8. ORDER BY with LIMIT (Pagination)

Common in APIs and dashboards:

9. Real-World Example

Return the 5 highest-paid employees in IT: