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Write a SQL query leveraging window functions and timestamps to identify updates over time

SQLmedium0.3 min read

Reviewed by Aditya Kumar · Last reviewed 2026-03-24

SELECT id, value, LAG(value) OVER (ORDER BY timestamp) AS prev_value, value - LAG(value) OVER (ORDER BY timestamp) AS delta FROM table ORDER BY timestamp. For change detection: SELECT *, LAG(column) OVER (PARTITION BY id ORDER BY updated_at) AS prev, CASE WHEN column !=...

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Frequency
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Asked at 1 company
Category
487
questions in SQL
Difficulty Split
130E|271M|86H
in this category
Total Bank
1,863
across 7 categories
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Key Concepts Tested
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Expert Answer
69 words

SELECT id, value, LAG(value) OVER (ORDER BY timestamp) AS prev_value, value - LAG(value) OVER (ORDER BY timestamp) AS delta FROM table ORDER BY timestamp. For change detection: SELECT *, LAG(column) OVER (PARTITION BY id ORDER BY updated_at) AS prev, CASE WHEN column != LAG(column) OVER (...) THEN 'changed' END AS change_flag. Why: LAG gives previous row; compare to detect changes. Scalability: Partition by id for per-entity; ensure timestamp indexed.

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Pro Tip

Red Flag: Full scan when incremental CDC is available. Pro-Move: 'We use LAG for audit; real CDC uses Debezium for source capture.'

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