What is the function of the greatest function in Oracle…
In Oracle, the GREATEST function is used to return the maximum value from a set of expressions. It can take two or more parameters and return the highest value among them. This function can be applied to various data types such as numbers, characters, and dates.
For instance, the following example demonstrates how to use the GREATEST function in Oracle.
Choose the highest value among 10, 20, 30, and 40 and label it as max_value from dual.
This will return the maximum value of 40 as max_value.
The GREATEST function can also be used to compare values of character types. In this case, it will return the maximum value based on the alphabetical order of the characters.
Choose the maximum value among ‘apple’, ‘banana’, and ‘cherry’ and label it as max_value.
This will return the maximum value ‘cherry’ as max_value.
In addition, the GREATEST function can also be applied to date values. It will return the latest date in a set of dates.
Find the latest date from ’01-Jan-2022′, ’01-Feb-2022′, and ’01-Mar-2022′.
The latest date, ’01-Mar-2022′, will be returned as the max_date.
In conclusion, the GREATEST function in Oracle is a useful function used to return the maximum value among a set of expressions, whether they are numbers, characters, or dates. It helps us identify the highest value.