How can you limit the number of rows returned by a SQL query?

You can limit the number of rows returned by a SQL query using various methods depending on the database system you're using. Two commonly used methods are using the LIMIT clause (commonly used in databases like MySQL and PostgreSQL) and the TOP clause (commonly used in SQL Server and Microsoft Access). Here's how you can do it with both methods:

Using the LIMIT Clause (for MySQL and PostgreSQL):

The LIMIT clause is used to restrict the number of rows returned by a query in MySQL and PostgreSQL.

SELECT column1, column2 
FROM table_name 
LIMIT number_of_rows;

• column1, column2: The columns you want to retrieve.
• table_name: The name of the table from which you want to retrieve data.
• number_of_rows: The maximum number of rows to return.

For example, if you want to retrieve the first 10 rows from a table named "Orders" in MySQL:

SELECT *
FROM Orders
LIMIT 10;

Using the TOP Clause (for SQL Server and Microsoft Access):

The TOP clause is used to limit the number of rows returned by a query in SQL Server and Microsoft Access.

SELECT TOP number_of_rows column1, column2 
FROM table_name;

• number_of_rows: The maximum number of rows to return.
• column1, column2: The columns you want to retrieve.
• table_name: The name of the table from which you want to retrieve data.

For example, if you want to retrieve the top 5 rows from a table named "Products" in SQL Server:

SELECT TOP 5 *
FROM Products;

It's important to note that the specific syntax for limiting rows may vary slightly between different database systems. Some databases, like Oracle, use the ROWNUM or ROWNUM <= method to achieve similar results. Therefore, it's advisable to refer to the documentation of your specific database system for the correct syntax and method to limit rows in your SQL queries.