SQL RANK

Understanding RANK

RANK is a window function that assigns a rank to each row within a result set based on the specified ordering. When ties occur (rows with equal values), RANK assigns the same rank to all tied rows and skips the next ranks, creating gaps in the sequence. This behavior makes it ideal for competitive rankings where ties should share the same position.

Basic Syntax

Common RANK Interview Questions

How does RANK handle ties compared to ROW_NUMBER and DENSE_RANK?
How would you rank videos by views within each user's content?
When would you choose RANK over other ranking functions?
How can you find videos in the top 5 ranks for both views and engagement?

Common RANK Patterns

1. Ranking Videos by Views

Rank videos by view count, properly handling ties.

2. Finding Top Performers

Identify top-ranked videos and handle ties appropriately.

3. Multi-Metric Rankings

Rank videos based on multiple metrics.

Advanced RANK Examples

Example 1: User Performance Analysis

Analyze user performance across different metrics:

Example 2: Time-Based Rankings

Rank videos by performance in different time periods:

Best Practices for RANK

1. Understanding Tie Behavior

Know how RANK handles ties:

Equal values receive the same rank
Next rank is skipped, creating gaps
Use DENSE_RANK if you don't want gaps

2. Choosing Between Ranking Functions

Select the appropriate ranking function:

Use RANK for competitive rankings where ties share positions
Use DENSE_RANK when you want consecutive ranks without gaps
Use ROW_NUMBER when you need unique numbers regardless of ties

3. Performance Considerations

Optimize your ranking queries:

Index columns used in ORDER BY and PARTITION BY
Filter data before applying RANK
Consider materialized views for frequently used rankings

Interview Master

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