How to Efficiently Find the Minimum Value Across Multiple Columns in a Table?

Efficiently select minimum value from multiple columns

In tables with multiple columns, it is often necessary to retrieve the minimum value in these columns for each row. This can be achieved in a variety of ways.

CASE/WHEN method

If the number of columns to be processed is small, the CASE/WHEN statement provides a simple and efficient solution. By evaluating each column and selecting the minimum value as TheMin column you can get the desired result. Here's an example:

SELECT Id,
       CASE 
           WHEN Col1 < Col2 AND Col1 < Col3 THEN Col1
           WHEN Col2 < Col1 AND Col2 < Col3 THEN Col2
           ELSE Col3
       END AS TheMin
FROM   YourTableNameHere

This method is simple and straightforward and suitable for situations where the number of columns is limited.

LEAST function

For more complex scenarios involving multiple columns, the LEAST function provides a convenient solution:

SELECT Id,
       LEAST(Col1, Col2, Col3) AS TheMin
FROM   YourTableNameHere

The LEAST function evaluates all specified columns and returns the minimum value among them. This approach eliminates the need for complex conditional statements and provides a concise solution.

ROW_NUMBER function

The ROW_NUMBER function can be used when processing a large number of columns or when additional processing is required. By sorting the rows based on the smallest value, you can easily select the highest ranked rows using a subquery:

SELECT Id,
       TheMin
FROM   (
            SELECT Id,
                   Col1, Col2, Col3,
                   ROW_NUMBER() OVER (PARTITION BY Id ORDER BY LEAST(Col1, Col2, Col3)) AS RowNum
            FROM   YourTableNameHere
       ) AS Subquery
WHERE  RowNum = 1

This approach provides flexibility, allowing more complex operations such as filtering or grouping the data to be performed before retrieving the minimum value.

Summary

The best way to select the minimum value among multiple columns depends on the specific requirements of the scenario. For simple scenarios with a limited number of columns, the CASE/WHEN statement provides a straightforward solution. For more complex scenarios or when dealing with large numbers of columns, the LEAST function or the ROW_NUMBER function provide more advanced options with greater performance and flexibility.

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