Microsoft® SQL Server® 2012 High-Performance T-SQL Using Window Functions

Introduction

Window functions, to me, are the most profound feature supported by both standard SQL and Microsoft SQL Server’s dialect—T-SQL. They allow you to perform calculations against sets of rows in a flexible, clear, and efficient manner. The design of window functions is ingenious, overcoming a number of shortcomings of the traditional alternatives. The range of problems that window functions help solve is so wide that it is well worth investing your time in learning those. SQL Server 2005 was the version in which window functions were introduced initially. SQL Server 2012 then added more complete support by enhancing some of the existing functions, as well as adding new ones. This book covers both the SQL Server–specific support for window ...