---
title: "What does TOP Operator Do in SQL?"  
description: "What does TOP Operator Do in SQL?"  
author: "Sumit Kesarwani"  
published: 2014-08-21  
updated: 2020-09-17  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/interview/1961/what-does-top-operator-do-in-sql  
category: "mssql server"  
tags: ["mssql server"]  
reading_time: 1 minute  

---

# What does TOP Operator Do in SQL?

The TOP operator is used to specify the number of rows to be returned by a query. The TOP operator has new addition in SQL SERVER 2008 that it accepts variables as well as literal values and can be used with INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETES statements.

## Answers

### Answer by Sumit Kesarwani

The TOP operator is used to specify the number of rows to be returned by a query. The TOP operator has new addition in SQL SERVER 2008 that it accepts variables as well as literal values and can be used with INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETES statements.


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Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/interview/1961/what-does-top-operator-do-in-sql

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