RANK and DENSE_RANK

Concepts covered: sqlRankDenseRank

How Ties Work Consider five students with test scores where two students scored 92. Here is how the three ranking functions differ on the exact same data: When Ties Matter: Rankings RANK Example DENSE_RANK Example Choosing Between Functions The choice between these three functions comes down to how you want ties handled and whether gaps in the numbering matter. Compare them side by side on the same query:

About This Interactive Section

This section is part of the Window Functions: Beginner lesson on DataDriven, a free data engineering interview prep platform. Each section includes explanations, worked examples, and hands-on code challenges that execute in real time. SQL queries run against a live PostgreSQL database. Python runs in a sandboxed Docker container. Data modeling problems validate against interactive schema canvases. All content is framed around what data engineering interviewers actually test at companies like Meta, Google, Amazon, Netflix, Stripe, and Databricks.

How DataDriven Lessons Work

DataDriven combines four interview rounds (SQL, Python, Data Modeling, Pipeline Architecture) with adaptive difficulty and spaced repetition. Easy problems get harder as you improve. Weak concepts resurface until you master them. Your readiness score tracks progress across every topic interviewers test. Every lesson section ends with problems you solve by writing and running real code, not by picking multiple-choice answers.