The `TOP` clause, often used in conjunction with `SELECT` statements, allows you to limit the output of your query to a specific number of rows. This is particularly useful when you only need a subset of the data from a table, such as the first 10 customers or the top 5 sales figures. It's a powerful tool for performance optimization, as it prevents unnecessary retrieval and processing of large amounts of data. The `TOP` clause is not universally supported across all SQL dialects, so syntax might vary slightly. For instance, in SQL Server, you use `TOP`, while in MySQL, you use `LIMIT`. Understanding the specific syntax for your database system is essential. Using `TOP` can significantly improve query performance, especially when dealing with large tables. It's a fundamental technique for efficient data retrieval and analysis.
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