Command guide

intermediate selecting MySQL MariaDB SQL Server PostgreSQL SQLite

Select Random Rows

Return a random sample by ordering rows with the engine's random function and applying a row limit.

Created Apr 30, 2026 Last updated Apr 30, 2026 5/5 supported engines validation-green 1 example 2 scenarios

Docker-validated Not currently validation-green

Example 1

Pick two random products

The random function produces a different sort key for each row. The limit then keeps two rows from that randomized order.

MySQL MariaDB

Engine-specific syntax

Source table data

Setup

CREATE TABLE products (id INT, name VARCHAR(50));

INSERT INTO
  products
VALUES
  (1, 'Widget'),
  (2, 'Gadget'),
  (3, 'Doohickey'),
  (4, 'Thing');

Validated query

SQL

SELECT
  COUNT(*) AS sampled_rows
FROM
  (
    SELECT
      id,
      name
    FROM
      products
    ORDER BY
      RAND ()
    LIMIT
      2
  ) sample;

Expected result

sampled_rows
2

SQL Server

Engine-specific syntax

Source table data

Setup

CREATE TABLE products (id INT, name VARCHAR(50));

INSERT INTO
  products
VALUES
  (1, 'Widget'),
  (2, 'Gadget'),
  (3, 'Doohickey'),
  (4, 'Thing');

Validated query

SQL

SELECT
  COUNT(*) AS sampled_rows
FROM
  (
    SELECT
      TOP 2 id,
      name
    FROM
      products
    ORDER BY
      NEWID ()
  ) sample;

Expected result

sampled_rows
2

PostgreSQL

Engine-specific syntax

Source table data

Setup

CREATE TABLE products (id INT, name VARCHAR(50));

INSERT INTO
  products
VALUES
  (1, 'Widget'),
  (2, 'Gadget'),
  (3, 'Doohickey'),
  (4, 'Thing');

Validated query

SQL

SELECT
  COUNT(*) AS sampled_rows
FROM
  (
    SELECT
      id,
      name
    FROM
      products
    ORDER BY
      RANDOM ()
    LIMIT
      2
  ) sample;

Expected result

sampled_rows
2

SQLite

Engine-specific syntax

Source table data

Setup

CREATE TABLE products (id INT, name TEXT);

INSERT INTO
  products
VALUES
  (1, 'Widget'),
  (2, 'Gadget'),
  (3, 'Doohickey'),
  (4, 'Thing');

Validated query

SQL

SELECT
  COUNT(*) AS sampled_rows
FROM
  (
    SELECT
      id,
      name
    FROM
      products
    ORDER BY
      RANDOM ()
    LIMIT
      2
  ) sample;

Expected result

sampled_rows
2

Result rows vary on each execution, so this command intentionally has no fixed expected rows.

Useful when

Where this command helps.

reviewing a random sample of records
showing random featured rows without a separate sampling table

Explanation

What the command is doing.

A simple random sample can be produced with ORDER BY on a random value, then limiting the result. MySQL, MariaDB, and SQL Server use different random functions than PostgreSQL and SQLite. This pattern is convenient for small tables, QA spot checks, and demos. For very large tables it can be expensive because the database must assign and sort a random value for many rows.

Select Random Rows

Pick two random products

Where this command helps.

What the command is doing.

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