In `SELECT * FROM users LIMIT 5;`, how many rows are returned at most?

All rows, since LIMIT is only a suggestion

What does `LIMIT 10 OFFSET 5` do?

Skips the first 5 rows, then returns up to 10 rows

Returns exactly rows numbered 5 through 10

Returns the first 5 rows, then a separate 10 rows

Why is LIMIT commonly paired with ORDER BY?

To make sure a predictable set of rows is chosen before limiting

LIMIT cannot execute at all without ORDER BY

ORDER BY is required to count the total number of rows for LIMIT

Can LIMIT be combined with a WHERE clause in the same query?

Yes, WHERE filters rows first, then LIMIT caps the result count

No, LIMIT and WHERE cannot appear in the same query

No, LIMIT can only be combined with GROUP BY

MySQL Limit

The LIMIT clause restricts how many rows a query returns, which is essential for paging through large result sets and for quickly inspecting sample data.

The LIMIT Clause

LIMIT is added at the end of a SELECT statement to cap the number of rows returned, regardless of how many rows actually match the query's conditions. This is especially useful for exploring a large table without pulling back millions of rows, or for building 'top N' style reports.

Basic LIMIT syntax

SELECT column1, column2
FROM table_name
LIMIT number_of_rows;

Selecting the Top N Rows

LIMIT is most powerful when combined with ORDER BY, since without a defined sort order, the rows returned by LIMIT are not guaranteed to be in any particular order. To reliably get the three most expensive products, you must sort first and then limit.

Get the 3 most expensive products

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

Note: LIMIT without ORDER BY returns an arbitrary subset of matching rows — the storage engine decides the order, and it can even change between runs. Always add ORDER BY when 'top N' or 'first N' semantics matter.

Paging Through Results With OFFSET

The OFFSET keyword tells MySQL to skip a given number of rows before it starts returning results, which is the basis of pagination in web applications — for example showing 'page 2' of a product listing.

Skip the first 10 rows, then return the next 10 (page 2)

SELECT ProductName, Price
FROM Products
ORDER BY ProductID
LIMIT 10 OFFSET 10;

The Shorthand LIMIT offset, count Syntax

MySQL also supports a comma-separated shorthand for LIMIT, where the first number is the offset and the second number is the row count. Both forms are equivalent, so use whichever reads more clearly to your team.

Equivalent shorthand for LIMIT ... OFFSET ...

SELECT ProductName, Price
FROM Products
ORDER BY ProductID
LIMIT 10, 10;

Note: Watch the argument order in the shorthand form carefully: LIMIT offset, count is the opposite order from writing LIMIT count OFFSET offset — mixing them up is a common bug when porting queries from other databases.

LIMIT caps the number of rows returned by a query
OFFSET skips a number of rows before starting to return results
Always pair LIMIT with ORDER BY for deterministic 'top N' results
The shorthand LIMIT offset, count is MySQL-specific and not standard SQL

Clause	Meaning
LIMIT 5	Return at most 5 rows
LIMIT 5 OFFSET 10	Skip 10 rows, then return up to 5 rows
LIMIT 10, 5	Shorthand: skip 10 rows, then return up to 5 rows

Exercise: MySQL Limit

What does the LIMIT clause control in a query?

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