SQL ORDER BY

SQL ORDER BY Clause used to sorting SQL result set either ascending or descending order.

SQL ORDER BY Clause default record set sorting ascending order. Using DESC keyword to result set sorting in descending order.

Syntax

Considering following syntax that help you to understanding ORDER BY clause,

SELECT 
    column_name1, column_name2, ...
    FROM table_name
    [ WHERE condition ]
    ORDER BY column_name1, column_name2 [ ASC | DESC ];

Example

We have following employee_hour table that store weekday hours for each employee:

SQL> SELECT * FROM employee_hour;

NAME                 DAY             HOURS
-------------------- ---------- ----------
Opal Kole            Monday              8
Max Miller           Monday              8
Beccaa Moss          Monday              8
Paul Singh           Monday              9
Opal Kole            Tuesday             9
Max Miller           Tuesday             6
Beccaa Moss          Tuesday            10
Paul Singh           Tuesday             8
Opal Kole            Wednesday           7
Max Miller           Wednesday           9
Beccaa Moss          Wednesday          11
Paul Singh           Wednesday          12

12 rows selected.

Run it...   »

Example

SQL> SELECT * 
    FROM employee_hour 
    ORDER BY hours;

NAME                 DAY             HOURS
-------------------- ---------- ----------
Max Miller           Tuesday             6
Opal Kole            Wednesday           7
Max Miller           Monday              8
Beccaa Moss          Monday              8
Opal Kole            Monday              8
Paul Singh           Tuesday             8
Paul Singh           Monday              9
Opal Kole            Tuesday             9
Max Miller           Wednesday           9
Beccaa Moss          Tuesday            10
Beccaa Moss          Wednesday          11
Paul Singh           Wednesday          12

12 rows selected.

Run it...   »

ORDER BY clause apply on hours column, result set return into ascending order.

Example

SQL> SELECT * 
    FROM employee_hour 
    ORDER BY hours DESC;

NAME                 DAY             HOURS
-------------------- ---------- ----------
Paul Singh           Wednesday          12
Beccaa Moss          Wednesday          11
Beccaa Moss          Tuesday            10
Paul Singh           Monday              9
Opal Kole            Tuesday             9
Max Miller           Wednesday           9
Opal Kole            Monday              8
Max Miller           Monday              8
Paul Singh           Tuesday             8
Beccaa Moss          Monday              8
Opal Kole            Wednesday           7
Max Miller           Tuesday             6

12 rows selected.

Run it...   »

Same thing as above but ORDER BY clause apply on hours column, result set return into descending order.