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SQL OFFSET Function

Quick summary: The SQL OFFSET clause skips a number of rows before returning results.

SQL OFFSET Syntax 

SELECT columns FROM table_name LIMIT number OFFSET number
SQL

SQL OFFSET Basic examples 

SELECT * FROM users LIMIT 10 OFFSET 10;
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Output:
Rows 11–20

Skips the first 10 rows.

SQL OFFSET Real-world usage 

SELECT * FROM products ORDER BY id LIMIT 20 OFFSET 40;
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Output:
Page 3 results

Implements pagination.

SQL OFFSET Edge cases 

SELECT * FROM users LIMIT 10 OFFSET 1000000;
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Output:
Empty or slow query

Large offsets can degrade performance.

SQL OFFSET Common mistakes

Using OFFSET on large datasets

OFFSET scans skipped rows.

Incorrect
OFFSET 100000
Correct
WHERE id > last_seen_id

Use keyset pagination for performance.

SQL OFFSET Frequently Asked Questions

What does OFFSET do in SQL?

Skips a number of rows before returning results.

Use case?

Pagination.

Used with LIMIT?

Yes.

Syntax?

LIMIT x OFFSET y.

Common mistake?

Using without ORDER BY.

Performance impact?

Slow on large offsets.

Alternative?

Keyset pagination.

DB support?

Most databases.

Can use dynamic values?

Yes.

Used in APIs?

Yes.

Handles large data?

Yes but inefficient.

Best practice?

Use with indexes and ORDER BY.

SQL OFFSET Related SQL Keywords