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w do I count the number of records in a table in SQL?
In this blog, we’ll explain how to easily count the number of records in a SQL table. If you’re new to SQL, don’t worry — we’ll walk you through the code step by step.
Understanding SQL Tables and Records
In a SQL environment, data is stored in tables, which are made of multiple records (also known as rows). Each record contains information across a number of categories, represented through columns.
Counting Records with the COUNT() Function
In SQL, to count the number of records in a table, you use the COUNT() function. The COUNT() function returns the number of rows that matches a specified criterion.
The Basic SQL COUNT Syntax
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SELECT COUNT(column_name) FROM table_name; |
Here, you are counting the number of non-NULL values in the ‘column_name’ of the ‘table_name’. If you want to count all rows, regardless of null or non-null values, you should use the asterisk (*).
Count all Records Example
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SELECT COUNT(*) FROM Employees; |
In the above example, we are counting all records in the ‘Employees’ table.
Count Based on Specific Conditions
We often want to count records based on certain conditions. For example, you may want to count only the records of employees who are based in a specific city.
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SELECT COUNT(*) FROM Employees WHERE City = 'New York'; |
The above statement will return the count of all employees whose city is ‘New York’.
Conclusion
In conclusion, SQL provides powerful and convenient functions for you to count records in a table. Counting rows in a SQL table becomes a piece of cake once you grasp how the count function works.
Happy SQLing!