Skip to main content
Version: 3.2

max_by

Description​

Returns the value of x associated with the maximum value of y.

For example, SELECT max_by(subject, exam_result) FROM exam; is to return the subject that has the highest exam score.

This function is supported from v2.5.

Syntax​

max_by(x,y)

Parameters​

  • x: an expression of any type.
  • y: an expression of a type that can be ordered.

Return value​

Returns a value that has the same type as x.

Usage notes​

  • y must be a sortable type. If you use an unsortable type of y, such as bitmap or hll, an error is returned.
  • If y contains a null value, the row that corresponds to the null value is ignored.
  • If more than one value of x has the same maximum value of y, this function returns the first value of x encountered.

Examples​

  1. Create a table exam.

    CREATE TABLE exam (
        subject_id INT,
        subject STRING,
        exam_result INT
    ) DISTRIBUTED BY HASH(`subject_id`);

  2. Insert values into this table and query data from this table.

    insert into exam values
    (1,'math',90),
    (2,'english',70),
    (3,'physics',95),
    (4,'chemistry',85),
    (5,'music',95),
    (6,'biology',null);

    select * from exam order by subject_id;
    +------------+-----------+-------------+
    | subject_id | subject   | exam_result |
    +------------+-----------+-------------+
    |          1 | math      |          90 |
    |          2 | english   |          70 |
    |          3 | physics   |          95 |
    |          4 | chemistry |          85 |
    |          5 | music     |          95 |
    |          6 | biology   |        null |
    +------------+-----------+-------------+
    6 rows in set (0.03 sec)

  3. Obtain the subject that has the highest score. Two subjects physics and music have the same highest score 95 and the first subject encountered (physics) is returned.

    SELECT max_by(subject, exam_result) FROM exam;
    +------------------------------+
    | max_by(subject, exam_result) |
    +------------------------------+
    | physics                      |
    +------------------------------+
    1 row in set (0.01 sec)