Oracle ROW_NUMBER Function Explained

In Oracle, the ROW_NUMBER() function is used to assign a unique integer value to each row in the result set. It is commonly used for sorting and pagination queries.

The syntax of the ROW_NUMBER() function is as follows:
ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY column1, column2, …)

The ORDER BY clause is optional and is used to specify the columns for sorting. If the ORDER BY clause is not specified, the returned rows will not have a specific order.

Here is an example of the ROW_NUMBER() function:

Choose column1, column2, and others, and assign a unique row number based on the values in column1 in the specified order from the table called table_name.

The query mentioned above will return the column values of each row in the result set, along with their corresponding row numbers. The row numbers will be sorted in ascending order based on the value of column1.

The ROW_NUMBER() function can be used in conjunction with other window functions and analytical functions to achieve more intricate querying requirements. It can assist users in pagination of result sets, as well as sorting and filtering based on specific criteria.