Tag: Top

SQL

Why TOP (1) Can Return Multiple Rows (and Why That Matters)

Post author By Andy B.
Post date Apr 7, 2026
1 Comment on Why TOP (1) Can Return Multiple Rows (and Why That Matters)

Having TOP (1) return multiple rows feels wrong… but that’s what WITH TIES can do. For a long time I used patterns like this to get the first record in a group: Then I found the cleaner alternative: Let’s dive into what it is, and why you (probably) shouldn’t use it. WITH TIES The WITH TIES syntax was added over 20 years ago but it […]

Tags SQL, Performance, Query Plans, CTE, Optimisation, Top, WITH TIES, Common Table Expressions

SQL

Comparing Performance of TOP vs. MAX

Post author By Andy B.
Post date Mar 5, 2024
2 Comments on Comparing Performance of TOP vs. MAX

Both TOP (1) and MAX can be used to identify the largest value in a data set. Whilst they get the same result it isn’t necessarily in the same way. Firstly, what is the difference between the two? The TOP clause limits the number of results which are returned from a query, in this instance we’re focussing on a single result. […]

Tags Comparison, Max, Performance, Querying, SQL, Top