SQL -Structured Query Language - Sql Order By - Ascending Descending Multiple Column Tutorial

To retrieve a record in multiple orders for different columns from the existing created table. Then we can use an ' ORDER BY ' Clause multiple times with ASC or DESC differently depending upon the requirement.

Syntax-

The basic syntax of the ORDER BY statement with ASC / DESC Attribute is given below –

SELECT * FROM 
table_name 
ORDER BY 
column_name1 [ASC / DESC], 
column_name2 [ASC / DESC],…, 
column_nameN [ASC / DESC];

Here 1^st priority will always be given to column_name1, 2^nd priority to column_name2, and last priority to column_nameN.

Suppose if the user retrieves a record in ascending order of a name, And there are two or more records with the same name. So for the same name record, he wants to retrieve its age in descending order

For example-

Example 1

SELECT first_name,last_name 
FROM 
employees 
ORDER BY 
first_name ASC, last_name DESC;

Run Query

Here it will retrieve all records from the Employees table in ascending order of a first_name column, and if the record having two or more same first_name. then it will check the last_name, and order it in descending manner.

Example 2

SELECT first_name,last_name 
FROM 
employees 
ORDER BY 
last_name DESC, first_name ASC;

Run Query

Here it will retrieve all records from the Employees table in descending order of a last_name column, and if the record having two or more same last_name. then it will check the first_name, and order it in ascending manner.

In this 'ORDER BY first_name ASC, last_name DESC ' and 'ORDER BY last_name DESC, first_name ASC' both look the same, but both will retrieve data in a different order.

Example 1 and  Example 2 will work differently.