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SQL FIRST() Function


The FIRST() Function

The FIRST() function returns the first value of the selected column.

SQL FIRST() Syntax

SELECT FIRST(column_name) FROM table_name;

Note: The FIRST() function is only supported in MS Access.


SQL FIRST() Workaround in SQL Server, MySQL and Oracle

SQL Server Syntax

SELECT TOP 1 column_name FROM table_name
ORDER BY column_name ASC;

Example

SELECT TOP 1 CustomerName FROM Customers
ORDER BY CustomerID ASC;

MySQL Syntax

SELECT column_name FROM table_name
ORDER BY column_name ASC
LIMIT 1;

Example

SELECT CustomerName FROM Customers
ORDER BY CustomerID ASC
LIMIT 1;

Oracle Syntax

SELECT column_name FROM table_name
WHERE ROWNUM <=1
ORDER BY column_name ASC;

Example

SELECT CustomerName FROM Customers
WHERE ROWNUM <=1
ORDER BY CustomerID ASC;

Demo Database

In this tutorial we will use the well-known Northwind sample database.

Below is a selection from the "Customers" table:

CustomerID CustomerName ContactName Address City PostalCode Country
1

Alfreds Futterkiste Maria Anders Obere Str. 57 Berlin 12209 Germany
2 Ana Trujillo Emparedados y helados Ana Trujillo Avda. de la Constitución 2222 México D.F. 05021 Mexico
3 Antonio Moreno Taquería Antonio Moreno Mataderos 2312 México D.F. 05023 Mexico
4

Around the Horn Thomas Hardy 120 Hanover Sq. London WA1 1DP UK
5 Berglunds snabbköp Christina Berglund Berguvsvägen 8 Luleå S-958 22 Sweden

SQL FIRST() Example

The following SQL statement selects the first value of the "CustomerName" column from the "Customers" table:

Example

SELECT FIRST(CustomerName) AS FirstCustomer FROM Customers;
Try it Yourself »