SQL Keywords

SQL ANY

What is SQL ANY?

ANY compares a scalar value to each row returned by a subquery and returns TRUE if the comparison is TRUE for at least one row.
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Compatible dialects for SQL ANY:

SQL ANY Full Explanation

ANY (synonym: SOME) is a comparison predicate defined by the SQL standard. It works with =, <>, <, >, <=, or >= to test whether the comparison holds for at least one row produced by a subquery. The predicate evaluates the scalar on the left-hand side against every value yielded by the subquery on the right. If at least one comparison is TRUE, the overall predicate is TRUE; if none are TRUE but at least one is NULL, the result is UNKNOWN; if all are FALSE, the result is FALSE.Unlike EXISTS, which only checks for the presence of rows, ANY checks the result of a comparison. ANY differs from ALL, which requires the comparison to be TRUE for every row. When used with the = operator, "x = ANY(subquery)" is equivalent to "x IN (subquery)".Performance depends on how efficiently the database can execute the subquery and apply the comparison. Indexes on columns referenced in the subquery can greatly improve execution time. Be aware that NULLs inside the subquery can propagate UNKNOWN results, so use COALESCE or WHERE clauses to filter them out when needed.

SQL ANY Syntax

<scalar_expression> <comparison_operator> ANY (
    <subquery_returning_single_column>
);

SQL ANY Parameters

Example Queries Using SQL ANY

-- 1. Find orders whose amount exceeds any competitor price for the same product
SELECT o.order_id, o.product_id, o.amount
FROM orders o
WHERE o.amount > ANY (
    SELECT c.price
    FROM competitor_prices c
    WHERE c.product_id = o.product_id
);

-- 2. Show employees earning the same salary as any manager
SELECT e.employee_id, e.salary
FROM employees e
WHERE e.salary = ANY (
    SELECT m.salary
    FROM employees m
    WHERE m.role = 'manager'
);

-- 3. Flag products cheaper than any alternative in another table
SELECT p.product_id
FROM products p
WHERE p.price < ANY (
    SELECT a.price FROM alternatives a WHERE a.category = p.category
);

Expected Output Using SQL ANY

  • Each query returns only those rows for which the comparison with at least one value in the subquery evaluated to TRUE
  • Other rows are filtered out

Use Cases with SQL ANY

  • Filter rows based on how they compare to a dynamic list of values
  • Replace complex JOIN plus GROUP BY logic with a concise predicate
  • Implement business rules such as "price higher than any competitor" or "salary equal to any manager"
  • Serve as an alternative to IN when you need operators other than =

Common Mistakes with SQL ANY

  • Forgetting the parentheses around the subquery
  • Expecting ANY to behave like ALL (opposite logic)
  • Using a subquery that returns multiple columns (must return exactly one)
  • Ignoring NULLs in the subquery, which can yield UNKNOWN and filter out rows unexpectedly
  • Writing "= ANY (NULL)" thinking it will never match; it actually results in UNKNOWN

Related Topics

First Introduced In

SQL-92 Standard

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between ANY and IN?

IN is shorthand for = ANY. Use IN for equality checks and ANY for other comparisons like < or >.

Can ANY be used with JOINs?

ANY is not a join operation but a predicate. However, it can replace many semi-join patterns by eliminating explicit joins.

How does NULL affect ANY?

If all comparisons evaluate to NULL or FALSE, the result is UNKNOWN and the row is filtered out unless you explicitly test for UNKNOWN.

Is SOME the same as ANY?

Yes. SOME is an ANSI-SQL synonym for ANY.

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