SQL RANGE BETWEEN

Understanding RANGE BETWEEN

RANGE BETWEEN is a window frame clause that defines a logical range of values around the current row for window function calculations. Unlike ROWS BETWEEN which counts physical rows, RANGE BETWEEN works with actual values in the ORDER BY column, making it ideal for calculations based on value ranges like time periods or numeric intervals.

Basic Syntax

Common RANGE BETWEEN Interview Questions

What's the difference between RANGE BETWEEN and ROWS BETWEEN?
How do you handle ties in the ORDER BY column with RANGE BETWEEN?
When would you choose RANGE over ROWS for window calculations?
How can you calculate metrics for videos uploaded within a specific date range?

Common RANGE BETWEEN Patterns

1. Date-Based Calculations

Calculate metrics based on date ranges relative to each row.

2. Value-Based Aggregations

Aggregate data based on value ranges rather than row counts.

3. Cumulative Distributions

Calculate running totals based on value ranges.

Advanced RANGE BETWEEN Examples

Example 1: Time-Based Analytics

Analyze interaction patterns over time periods:

Example 2: View Count Analysis

Analyze video performance within view count ranges:

Best Practices for RANGE BETWEEN

1. Choose Appropriate Range Values

Select range boundaries that make sense for your data:

Consider the scale and distribution of your ORDER BY values
Use date functions for consistent time-based ranges
Account for the granularity of your data

2. Handle Ties Properly

Be aware of how RANGE BETWEEN handles rows with equal values:

All rows with the same ORDER BY value are included in the same frame
This can lead to larger windows than expected with many ties
Consider using ROWS BETWEEN if exact row counts are important

3. Performance Optimization

Optimize your RANGE BETWEEN queries:

Index columns used in ORDER BY and PARTITION BY
Be cautious with large ranges that might include many rows
Consider pre-aggregating data for frequently used ranges

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