What is the difference between ROW_NUMBER, RANK, and DENSE_RANK?

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## Ranking Window Functions All three are **window functions** that assign an ordinal position to each row within a partition based on an `ORDER BY`. The difference lies in **how they handle ties**: | Function | Tie Handling | Gaps After Ties | Example (scores: 95, 90, 90, 85) | |---|---|---|---| | `ROW_NUMBER()` | No tie awareness — assigns unique sequential numbers | No gaps (every row is unique) | 1, 2, 3, 4 | | `RANK()` | Tied rows get the **same** rank | **Yes** — skips positions after ties | 1, 2, 2, **4** | | `DENSE_RANK()` | Tied rows get the **same** rank | **No** — next rank is consecutive | 1, 2, 2, **3** |

What is the difference between ROW_NUMBER, RANK, and DENSE_RANK?

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