SQL Lead

Galaxy Glossary

How can I access the value of a row that comes after the current row in a SQL table?

The SQL LEAD function allows you to access values from subsequent rows within a result set. It's particularly useful for tasks like calculating running totals, identifying trends, or comparing data across rows.
Sign up for the latest in SQL knowledge from the Galaxy Team!
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Description

The LEAD function in SQL is a powerful tool for analyzing sequential data. It returns the value of a specified column from a subsequent row within a result set, based on an ordering. This is different from the LAG function, which looks at preceding rows. Imagine you have a sales table tracking daily sales figures. Using LEAD, you can easily calculate the next day's sales, compare them to the current day's, and identify trends. The function is particularly useful in scenarios where you need to compare data points in a series. For example, in a log file, you might want to compare the current log entry with the next one to identify patterns or anomalies. It's important to understand that LEAD requires an ordering mechanism (typically an ORDER BY clause) to determine which row is considered 'next'. Without this, the results will be unpredictable.

Why SQL Lead is important

The LEAD function is crucial for analyzing time-series data and identifying trends. It simplifies complex calculations and makes it easier to compare data points across rows, which is essential for data analysis and reporting.

Example Usage


-- Example using PostgreSQL
-- Create a table with an INTERVAL column
CREATE TABLE project_duration (
    project_id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
    project_name VARCHAR(255),
    duration INTERVAL
);

-- Insert data into the table
INSERT INTO project_duration (project_name, duration) VALUES
('Project A', '1 year 2 months'),
('Project B', '3 weeks'),
('Project C', '10 days 12 hours');

-- Query the table to retrieve project durations
SELECT project_name, duration FROM project_duration;

-- Calculate the difference between two timestamps (PostgreSQL specific)
SELECT TIMESTAMP '2024-01-15 10:00:00' - TIMESTAMP '2023-12-20 09:00:00' AS time_difference;

-- Example using MySQL (Note different syntax for INTERVAL)
-- Create a table with an INTERVAL column
CREATE TABLE order_processing_time (
    order_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    processing_time INTERVAL
);

-- Insert data into the table
INSERT INTO order_processing_time (order_id, processing_time) VALUES
(1, INTERVAL '1 10:00:00' DAY_HOUR);

-- Query the table to retrieve processing times
SELECT order_id, processing_time FROM order_processing_time;

Common Mistakes

Want to learn about other SQL terms?