GREATEST(...)

All functions > COMPARISON > GREATEST(...)

Returns the greatest (maximum) value from a list of arguments.

Syntax

GREATEST(expr, expr, ...)

GREATEST(expr, expr, ...)

Notes

• All arguments must be of the same or compatible types
• If any argument is NULL, the result is NULL
• For strings, uses lexicographic (dictionary) ordering
• For dates/timestamps, returns the latest date/time
• For ARRAY and ROW, uses the same ordering as < / > (lexicographic / field-by-field)
• Can accept any number of arguments (not just two)
• Equivalent to finding the maximum value across multiple columns
• Opposite of LEAST function

Related Functions

• GREATEST(...)

Examples

Numeric values

SELECT
    -- Numeric maximum
    f1 := GREATEST(1, 5, 3),
    -- All same values
    f2 := GREATEST(1, 1, 1),
    -- Negative numbers
    f3 := GREATEST(-5, -1, -10),
    -- NULL input
    f4 := GREATEST(NULL::BIGINT, 5, 3)
;

Other types

SELECT
    -- String maximum
    f1 := GREATEST('apple', 'banana', 'cherry'),
    -- Case sensitive
    f2 := GREATEST('a', 'A'),
    -- Decimal numbers
    f3 := GREATEST(1.5, 2.3, 1.1)
;

Arrays and rows

SELECT
    -- Lexicographic max of two arrays
    f1 := GREATEST(ARRAY(1, 1), ARRAY(1, 2))
;