ROW NUMBER in Oracle - Examples & AI Generator

Mastering the ROW NUMBER function in Oracle can streamline advanced data analysis, but the syntax can get complex—especially when implementing custom partitions and orderings. If you’re transitioning across databases or need optimized ROW NUMBER Oracle examples, it’s easy to lose time with manual coding. AI2sql eliminates the learning curve: generate production-ready Oracle ROW NUMBER queries from plain English, no coding required.

ROW NUMBER Syntax in Oracle

The ROW NUMBER function assigns unique, sequential integers to rows within a result set, based on a specified order. Here’s Oracle’s typical syntax:

SELECT
  column1,
  column2,
  ROW_NUMBER() OVER (PARTITION BY partition_expression ORDER BY sort_expression) AS row_num
FROM
  your_table;

• PARTITION BY: Optional. Resets numbering for each partition group.

• ORDER BY: Required. Defines row sequence within partitions.

Note: Oracle requires OVER(ORDER BY ...) for ROW NUMBER—you can use PARTITION BY to segment numbering.

ROW NUMBER Examples You Can Generate Instantly

Example 1: Top Sale per Customer

SELECT
  customer_id,
  order_id,
  order_total,
  ROW_NUMBER() OVER (PARTITION BY customer_id ORDER BY order_total DESC) AS row_num
FROM
  orders;

Business context: Find each customer’s largest order. Filter with WHERE row_num = 1 for top orders only.

Example 2: Recent Product Sales (across all products)

SELECT
  product_id,
  sale_date,
  ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY sale_date DESC) AS row_num
FROM
  sales;

Business context: Rank all product sales by recency for time-based analytics.

Example 3: Employee Tenure Ranking by Department

SELECT
  department_id,
  employee_id,
  hire_date,
  ROW_NUMBER() OVER (PARTITION BY department_id ORDER BY hire_date) AS tenure_rank
FROM
  employees;

Business context: Number employees by hire date within each department, useful for tenure-based reports.

Generate ROW NUMBER queries in 10 seconds with AI2sql

Why Use AI2sql Instead of Manual ROW NUMBER Coding

• Skip memorizing Oracle-specific functions—AI2sql handles OVER/PARTITION/ORDER syntax instantly.

• No coding required: Describe your logic in plain English, get production-ready SQL in seconds.

• Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and more—AI2sql adapts to multiple databases, 50,000+ users in 80+ countries.

If you’re switching between Oracle and other platforms, or need instant query generation without syntax errors, Try AI2sql Generator for speed and accuracy.

FAQ: ROW NUMBER in Oracle

What’s the main difference in ROW NUMBER between Oracle and other databases?

Oracle requires the ORDER BY clause in the OVER statement. Syntax may vary in other databases—AI2sql handles these specifics automatically.

Can I use ROW NUMBER to remove duplicates?

Yes, you can assign a row number partitioned by the unique columns, then filter for row_num = 1 to keep only the first occurrence.

How do I reset row numbering in Oracle?

Use the PARTITION BY clause to reset numbering for each group. Omit PARTITION BY for a single, global sequence.

Ready to automate ROW NUMBER queries in Oracle? Generate Your First Query Now, or Learn ROW NUMBER for deeper insights.