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PostgreSQL Summary Stats and Window Functions

Michel Semaan

Data Scientist

The four functions

Relative

LAG(column, n) returns column's value at the row n rows before the current row
LEAD(column, n) returns column's value at the row n rows after the current row

Absolute

FIRST_VALUE(column) returns the first value in the table or partition
LAST_VALUE(column) returns the last value in the table or partition

LEAD

Query

WITH Hosts AS (
  SELECT DISTINCT Year, City
  FROM Summer_Medals)

SELECT
  Year, City,
  LEAD(City, 1) OVER (ORDER BY Year ASC)
    AS Next_City,
  LEAD(City, 2) OVER (ORDER BY Year ASC)
    AS After_Next_City
FROM Hosts
ORDER BY Year ASC;

Result

| Year | City      | Next_City | After_Next_City |
|------|-----------|-----------|-----------------|
| 1896 | Athens    | Paris     | St Louis        |
| 1900 | Paris     | St Louis  | London          |
| 1904 | St Louis  | London    | Stockholm       |
| 1908 | London    | Stockholm | Antwerp         |
| 1912 | Stockholm | Antwerp   | Paris           |
| ...  | ...       | ...       | ...             |

FIRST_VALUE and LAST_VALUE

Query

SELECT
  Year, City,
  FIRST_VALUE(City) OVER
    (ORDER BY Year ASC) AS First_City,
  LAST_VALUE(City) OVER (
   ORDER BY Year ASC
   RANGE BETWEEN
     UNBOUNDED PRECEDING AND
     UNBOUNDED FOLLOWING
  ) AS Last_City
FROM Hosts
ORDER BY Year ASC;

Result

| Year | City      | First_City | Last_City       |
|------|-----------|------------|-----------------|
| 1896 | Athens    | Athens     | London          |
| 1900 | Paris     | Athens     | London          |
| 1904 | St Louis  | Athens     | London          |
| 1908 | London    | Athens     | London          |
| 1912 | Stockholm | Athens     | London          |

By default, a window starts at the beginning of the table or partition and ends at the current row
RANGE BETWEEN ... clause extends the window to the end of the table or partition

Partitioning with LEAD

LEAD(Champion, 1) without PARTITION BY

| Year | Event        | Champion | Next_Champion |
|------|--------------|----------|---------------|
| 2004 | Discus Throw | LTU      | EST           |
| 2008 | Discus Throw | EST      | GER           |
| 2012 | Discus Throw | GER      | SWE           |
| 2004 | Triple Jump  | SWE      | POR           |
| 2008 | Triple Jump  | POR      | USA           |
| 2012 | Triple Jump  | USA      | null          |

LEAD(Champion, 1) with PARTITION BY Event

| Year | Event        | Champion | Next_Champion |
|------|--------------|----------|---------------|
| 2004 | Discus Throw | LTU      | EST           |
| 2008 | Discus Throw | EST      | GER           |
| 2012 | Discus Throw | GER      | null          |
| 2004 | Triple Jump  | SWE      | POR           |
| 2008 | Triple Jump  | POR      | USA           |
| 2012 | Triple Jump  | USA      | null          |

Partitioning with FIRST_VALUE

FIRST_VALUE(Champion) without PARTITION BY Event

| Year | Event        | Champion | First_Champion |
|------|--------------|----------|----------------|
| 2004 | Discus Throw | LTU      | LTU            |
| 2008 | Discus Throw | EST      | LTU            |
| 2012 | Discus Throw | GER      | LTU            |
| 2004 | Triple Jump  | SWE      | LTU            |
| 2008 | Triple Jump  | POR      | LTU            |
| 2012 | Triple Jump  | USA      | LTU            |

FIRST_VALUE(Champion) with PARTITION BY Event

| Year | Event        | Champion | First_Champion |
|------|--------------|----------|----------------|
| 2004 | Discus Throw | LTU      | LTU            |
| 2008 | Discus Throw | EST      | LTU            |
| 2012 | Discus Throw | GER      | LTU            |
| 2004 | Triple Jump  | SWE      | SWE            |
| 2008 | Triple Jump  | POR      | SWE            |
| 2012 | Triple Jump  | USA      | SWE            |

Let's practice!

PostgreSQL Summary Stats and Window Functions