FETCH
PaginationSQL standard alternative to LIMIT for pagination (supported in PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server).
Syntax
FETCH FIRST n ROWS ONLY | FETCH NEXT n ROWS ONLY
Example
SELECT * FROM products ORDER BY price OFFSET 10 ROWS FETCH NEXT 10 ROWS ONLY;
About SQL FETCH
The FETCH keyword belongs to the Pagination category of SQL statements. SQL standard alternative to LIMIT for pagination (supported in PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server). Understanding this command is essential for any developer working with relational databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, or SQL Server.
SQL (Structured Query Language) is the standard language for managing and querying relational databases. The FETCH statement is supported across all major database systems, though specific syntax may vary slightly between PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, Oracle, SQL Server, and SQLite. Always consult your database's documentation for vendor-specific features and limitations.
Best practices for using FETCH: always test queries on a development database before running them in production, use parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection, and leverage EXPLAIN to understand query performance. For complex queries, consider using CTEs (Common Table Expressions) to improve readability and maintainability.