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Common table expressions (CTEs) allow for temporary results sets that exist only during query execution, and can make code more readable and queries more performant; CTEs can be either recursive, referencing themselves to repeatedly iterate over data, or non-recursive; The document discusses the syntax, advantages, and limitations of both recursive and non-recursive CTEs as well as more advanced CTE concepts like multiple and nested CTEs.

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47 views10 pages

Untitled

Common table expressions (CTEs) allow for temporary results sets that exist only during query execution, and can make code more readable and queries more performant; CTEs can be either recursive, referencing themselves to repeatedly iterate over data, or non-recursive; The document discusses the syntax, advantages, and limitations of both recursive and non-recursive CTEs as well as more advanced CTE concepts like multiple and nested CTEs.

Uploaded by

MOHAN R
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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DAY 7

 Common Table Expression


Advanced SQL
 Recursive CTE
Common Table Expression
A CTE (Common Table Expression) is a one-time result set that only exists for the duration of the query.
It allows us to refer to data within a single SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, CREATE VIEW, or MERGE
statement's execution scope. It is temporary because its result cannot be stored anywhere and will be lost as
soon as a query's execution is completed.

A DBA always preferred CTE to use as an alternative to a Subquery/View.

Syntax :

WITH cte_name (column_names)


AS (query)
SELECT * FROM cte_name;

Reference: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/queries/with-common-table-expression-transact-
sql?view=sql-server-ver15
Continue..
We cannot use the following clauses in CTE:

• ORDER BY unless you also use as TOP clause


• INTO
• OPTION clause with query hints
• FOR BROWSE

Some of its advantages are given below:

• CTE facilitates code maintenance easier.


• CTE increases the readability of the code.
• CTE increases the performance of the query.
• CTE makes it possible to implement recursive queries easily.

Types of CTE in SQL Server :

SQL Server divides the CTE (Common Table Expressions) into two broad categories:
1. Recursive CTE
2. Non-Recursive CTE
Recursive CTE
A common table expression is known as recursive CTE that references itself.
Its concept is based on recursion, which is defined as "the application of a recursive process or definition
repeatedly." When we execute a recursive query, it repeatedly iterates over a subset of the data.
It is simply defined as a query that calls itself. There is an end condition at some point, so it does not call itself
infinitely.
A recursive CTE must have a UNION ALL statement and a second query definition that references the CTE itself in
order to be recursive.

Syntax :

WITH expression_name (column_list)


AS
(initial_query
UNION ALL
recursive_query -- Recursive member that references expression_name.)
-- references expression name
SELECT *
FROM expression_name
Continue..

Example:
OUTPUT
WITH
odd_num_cte (id, n) AS
(
SELECT 1, 1
UNION ALL
SELECT id+1, n+2 from
odd_num_cte where id < 5
)
SELECT * FROM odd_num_cte;
Sample File

CTE.sql
Non-Recursive CTE
A common table expression that doesn't reference itself is known as a non-recursive CTE.
A non-recursive CTE is simple and easier to understand because it does not use the concept of
recursion. According to the CTE Syntax, each CTE query will begin with a "With" clause followed by the
CTE name and column list, then AS with parenthesis.

Limitations of using CTE in SQL Server:

• Recursive CTE members are unable to use the keyword clauses like Distinct, Group By, Having, Top,
Outer Joins.
• The CTE can only be referenced once by the Recursive member.
• We cannot use the table variables and CTEs as parameters in stored procedures.
• Since it's just a shortcut for a query or subquery, it can't be reused in another query.
• The scope of CTE is limited and thump rule. Means it will be available to use in immediate statement
only.
• The number of columns in the CTE arguments and the number of columns in the query must be the
same.
• We cannot perform UPDATE, INSERT, DELETE on a CTE in Azure SQL
Multiple CTEs
• Multiple CTEs are many CTEs in a single query. These CTE are separated by comma and commas
should not be given at the end of the last CTE.
• The WITH keyword will be mentioned only once during the start of the CTE definition. This comma-
separated multiple CTE makes sense when we must refer to the return of one CTE in another CTE
and so on.
• For multiple CTE we need to do set-based operations like UNION, UNION ALL, etc.
Nested CTEs
• Like Subqueries we can't define CTE inside CTE. But we can refer to the previously defined CTE in
subsequent CTEs in the FROM clause.
• Nested CTEs are more useful in cases where we need to compute aggregate functions on several
levels and to compare two or more grouping of rows.
Exercise
• What is the difference between Common Table Expression and Derived Table and SubQuery?
• Can you use a CTE in the WHERE clause?
• Can you DELETE the records from the CTE? Does it also affect the actual underlying base
table?
• How can you get the third-highest salary using the CTE?
• How can you check and remove the duplicate records using the CTE? Demonstrate in Azure.
• How can you apply multi-level aggregations in SQL?

SQL exercises on DERIVED TABLES AND CTES (wiseowl.co.uk)

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