Top 250 SQL Interview Questions and Answers

Updated 15 Jul 2025

Q. What is your understanding of clauses and phrases?

Ans.

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate. A phrase is a group of words that does not contain a subject and a predicate.

  • A clause can function as a complete sentence or as part of a sentence.

  • A phrase cannot function as a com...read more

Asked in 7 Eleven

5d ago

Q. Write a query to get the customer with the highest total order value for each year and month. Order and Customer tables are separate, with Order_ID and Customer_ID as primary keys. The Customer table's Oid is a foreign key referen...

read more
Ans.

Query to get the customer with the highest total order value for each year, month.

  • Join the Order and Customer tables on the foreign key

  • Group the results by year, month, and customer

  • Calculate the total order value for each group

  • Find the maximum total ...read more

Asked in Meesho and 5 others

3d ago

Q. Describe the different types of joins.

Ans.

Different types of joins are used in database queries to combine data from multiple tables.

  • Inner join: Returns only the matching records from both tables.

  • Left join: Returns all records from the left table and the matching records from the right table...read more

Q. How many columns can be created in a table?

Ans.

The number of columns that can be created in a table depends on the database management system being used.

  • The limit varies depending on the DBMS

  • For MySQL, the limit is 4096 columns per table

  • For Oracle, the limit is 1000 columns per table

  • The number of...read more

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Asked in Simform

5d ago

Q. How do you join three different tables in SQL?

Ans.

To join three different tables in SQL, you can use the JOIN keyword along with the appropriate join conditions.

  • Use the JOIN keyword to combine tables based on a common column

  • Specify the join conditions using the ON keyword

  • You can join more than two t...read more

Asked in insightsoftware and 2 others

3d ago

Q. Explain the difference between inner and outer joins.

Ans.

Inner join returns only the matching records from both tables, while outer join returns all records from both tables.

  • Inner join combines rows from two tables based on a related column.

  • Outer join combines rows from two tables and includes unmatched ro...read more

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Asked in Dell EMC

4d ago

Q. What is the trigger point?

Ans.

A trigger point is a sensitive area in the muscles or tissues that can cause pain or discomfort when stimulated.

  • Trigger points are often found in areas of muscle tension or overuse.

  • They can be felt as knots or tight bands in the muscle.

  • Trigger points...read more

Asked in IBM

1d ago

Q. How do you insert or update data in a table?

Ans.

To insert or update data in a table, use SQL statements like INSERT INTO or UPDATE.

  • For inserting data, use the INSERT INTO statement followed by the table name and column names.

  • Specify the values to be inserted using the VALUES keyword.

  • For updating d...read more

1d ago

Q. What are the common types of SQL views?

Ans.

Normal types of SQL views include simple views, complex views, and materialized views.

  • Simple views are based on a single table or multiple tables with a simple join.

  • Complex views involve more complex queries, such as subqueries or aggregations.

  • Materi...read more

Asked in Wipro

5d ago

Q. What is the definition of a UNION (user-defined data type)?

Ans.

UNION is a user-defined data type that allows storing different data types in the same memory location.

  • UNION can be used to save memory space by sharing the same memory location for different data types.

  • It is defined using the 'union' keyword in C pr...read more

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Asked in Idfy

5d ago

Q. Why SQL and not NoSQL?

Ans.

SQL is preferred for structured data, transactions, complex queries, and ACID compliance.

  • SQL is better for structured data and relationships between data.

  • SQL is preferred for transactions and ensuring data integrity.

  • SQL is more suitable for complex q...read more

Asked in Mphasis

3d ago
Q. What do you mean by an SQL injection attack?
Ans.

SQL injection is a type of cyber attack where malicious SQL code is inserted into input fields to manipulate a database.

  • SQL injection is a common web application security vulnerability.

  • Attackers can inject malicious SQL code into input fields to acce...read more

Asked in Birlasoft

5d ago
Q. What is the difference between a clustered and a non-clustered index in SQL?
Ans.

Clustered index physically reorders the data in the table while non-clustered index does not.

  • Clustered index determines the physical order of data in the table, while non-clustered index does not.

  • A table can have only one clustered index, but multipl...read more

1d ago

Q. What is the difference between DENSE_RANK, RANK, and ROW_NUMBER in SQL?

Ans.

Dense rank assigns consecutive integers to distinct values, rank assigns integers to distinct values but skips integers for ties, row number assigns integers to rows in the result set.

  • Dense rank assigns consecutive integers to distinct values

  • Rank ass...read more

Asked in LTIMindtree

6d ago
Q. What is a Common Table Expression (CTE) in SQL?
Ans.

CTE is a temporary result set that can be referenced within a SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statement in SQL.

  • CTEs help improve readability and maintainability of complex SQL queries.

  • They can be recursive, allowing for hierarchical data querying.

  • C...read more

Asked in Paytm

2d ago
Q. What is the order of execution of SQL clauses?
Ans.

The order of execution of SQL clauses is: SELECT, FROM, WHERE, GROUP BY, HAVING, ORDER BY.

  • The SELECT clause is executed first to retrieve the desired columns from the table.

  • The FROM clause is executed next to specify the table(s) from which the data ...read more

Asked in Sopra Steria

3d ago

Q. What is a rollback?

Ans.

Rollback is the process of undoing or reversing a transaction or change made to a system.

  • Rollback is commonly used in database management systems to undo changes made to a database.

  • It can also be used in software development to undo changes made to c...read more

Asked in DaMENSCH

2d ago

Q. What is the use of aggregation functions?

Ans.

Aggregation functions are used to perform calculations on a set of values and return a single value as output.

  • Aggregation functions are commonly used in databases and data analysis to summarize and analyze large amounts of data.

  • Examples of aggregatio...read more

4d ago

Q. Write a query to find the 2nd highest salary using a window function.

Ans.

Use window function to find 2nd highest salary in SQL

  • Use the ROW_NUMBER() function to assign a unique row number to each row based on the salary in descending order

  • Filter the results where the row number is 2 to get the 2nd highest salary

Asked in DaMENSCH

3d ago

Q. What is SQL, and what memory management techniques does it use?

Ans.

SQL is a programming language used for managing relational databases. It uses dynamic memory management.

  • SQL stands for Structured Query Language

  • It is used for managing and manipulating data in relational databases

  • SQL uses dynamic memory management, w...read more

Asked in Nsight Inc

6d ago

Q. What is the difference between AS and IS in a stored procedure?

Ans.

AS is used to assign an alias to a column or table in SQL, while IS is used to compare values or check for null values.

  • AS is used in SELECT statements to assign a temporary name to a column or table

  • AS can also be used in JOIN statements to assign ali...read more

6d ago

Q. How can you add a column to a table without using the CREATE statement?

Ans.

To add a column without using create, you can use the ALTER TABLE statement.

  • Use the ALTER TABLE statement to add a new column to an existing table

  • Specify the table name and the new column name, data type, and any other constraints

  • Example: ALTER TABLE...read more

Asked in HCLTech

3d ago

Q. Tell me about the functions used in SQL.

Ans.

SQL functions are used to perform calculations on data and return the result.

  • Aggregate functions like SUM, AVG, COUNT, MAX, MIN

  • String functions like CONCAT, SUBSTRING, LENGTH

  • Date functions like DATEADD, DATEDIFF, GETDATE

  • Mathematical functions like AB...read more

Q. How do you create a table in SQL and add elements to it?

Ans.

To create a table in SQL, use the CREATE TABLE statement and define its elements.

  • Use CREATE TABLE statement followed by table name

  • Define columns with data types and constraints

  • Add primary key constraint to uniquely identify each row

  • Example: CREATE TA...read more

Asked in Zeta Global

6d ago

Q. Are you more proficient in SQL than in Java?

Ans.

I have a good understanding of both SQL and Java.

  • I have experience working with both SQL and Java in various projects.

  • I have a strong understanding of SQL syntax and can write complex queries.

  • I am proficient in Java and have worked with various frame...read more

Q. Write SQL queries for CRUD operations.

Ans.

SQL queries for CRUD operations

  • CREATE: INSERT INTO table_name (column1, column2, ...) VALUES (value1, value2, ...)

  • READ: SELECT column1, column2, ... FROM table_name WHERE condition

  • UPDATE: UPDATE table_name SET column1 = value1, column2 = value2, ... ...read more

Asked in cloudEQ

5d ago

Q. What is Normalization in SQL Server?

Ans.

Normalization is the process of organizing data in a database to reduce redundancy and improve data integrity.

  • Normalization involves breaking down a table into smaller tables and defining relationships between them.

  • There are different levels of norma...read more

Asked in Spinny

3d ago
Q. What is a subquery in SQL?
Ans.

A subquery in SQL is a query nested within another query, used to return a subset of data from a larger dataset.

  • A subquery is enclosed within parentheses and can be used in SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statements.

  • It can be used to filter results...read more

Asked in MasterCard

2d ago

Q. Implement lag() and lead() functions without using the built-in lag() or lead() functions.

Ans.

Implement lag() and lead() functions without using lag() or lead()

  • To implement lag(), shift the values in the array by one position to the right

  • To implement lead(), shift the values in the array by one position to the left

  • For example, to implement la...read more

Asked in Wipro

5d ago

Q. What is the difference between DROP and TRUNCATE commands?

Ans.

Drop command deletes the table structure along with data, while truncate command deletes only the data.

  • Drop command removes the table structure and all its data, while truncate command only removes the data but keeps the table structure intact.

  • Drop c...read more

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