Limiting Results with LIMIT

The LIMIT clause restricts the number of rows returned. This is essential when working with large tables!

Syntax

SELECT * FROM table_name
LIMIT number;

Why Use LIMIT?

• Performance — avoid loading millions of rows when you only need a few
• Preview data — quickly see what a table looks like
• Top-N queries — find the top/bottom items

Common Patterns

-- Quick preview: just see 5 rows
SELECT * FROM products LIMIT 5;
-- Top 3 most expensive products
SELECT * FROM products
ORDER BY price DESC
LIMIT 3;
-- 3 cheapest products
SELECT * FROM products
ORDER BY price
LIMIT 3;

⚠️ Important Order

The correct query order is:

• SELECT
• FROM
• WHERE (optional)
• ORDER BY (optional)
• LIMIT (always last!)

Your Task

Select the 3 cheapest products (lowest price first).