# ORDER BY Clause

# ORDER BY Clause

The **ORDER BY** clause sorts the data in one or more columns retrieved by the SELECT statement in ascending (**ASC**) or descending (**DESC**) order.

## **Syntax**

```plaintext
""SELECT 
{ * | [column, ...] }
[ FROM from_item [, ...] ]
[ ORDER BY {expression [ ASC | DESC ] }];
```

## **Parameter Description**

* **ORDER BY clause**
    
    Sorts data retrieved by the SELECT statement in descending or ascending order. If the **ORDER BY** expression contains multiple columns:
    
    * If two columns are equal according to the leftmost expression, they are compared according to the next expression and so on.
        
    * If they are equal according to all specified expressions, they are returned in an implementation-dependent order.
        

## **Examples**

* Sort the result in ascending order based on the value of **c\_customer\_sk**.
    
    ```plaintext
    ""openGauss=# SELECT * FROM customer_t1 ORDER BY c_customer_sk ASC;
     c_customer_sk | c_customer_id | c_first_name | c_last_name | amount
    ---------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+--------
              3869 | hello         | Grace        |             |   1000
              3869 | hello         | Grace        |             |   1000
              3869 |               | Grace        |             |
              3869 | hello         |              |             |
              3869 | hello         |              |             |
              4421 | Admin         | Local        |             |   3000
              6985 | maps          | Joes         |             |   2200
              9976 | world         | James        |             |   5000
                   |               |              |             |
    (9 rows)
    ```
    
* Sort the result in descending order based on the value of **c\_customer\_sk**.
    
    ```plaintext
    ""openGauss=# SELECT * FROM customer_t1 ORDER BY c_customer_sk DESC;
     c_customer_sk | c_customer_id | c_first_name | c_last_name | amount
    ---------------+---------------+--------------+-------------+--------
                   |               |              |             |
              9976 | world         | James        |             |   5000
              6985 | maps          | Joes         |             |   2200
              4421 | Admin         | Local        |             |   3000
              3869 | hello         | Grace        |             |   1000
              3869 | hello         |              |             |
              3869 | hello         | Grace        |             |   1000
              3869 |               | Grace        |             |
              3869 | hello         |              |             |
    (9 rows)
    ```