SQL LIMIT

Definition: LIMIT restricts how many rows the query returns — perfect for previews and "top N" lists.

Example 1 — first 3 rows

SELECT * FROM Customers
LIMIT 3;

Example 2 — the 3 most expensive products

Combine ORDER BY with LIMIT to get a top list:

SELECT ProductName, Price FROM Products
ORDER BY Price DESC
LIMIT 3;

A note on database differences

MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite use LIMIT. Microsoft SQL Server uses SELECT TOP 3 ... instead. The idea is the same; only the keyword differs.

💡 Tip: LIMIT is great for pagination — showing results one page at a time.