This page is a quick reference checkpoint for DENSE_RANK in Databricks SQL: behavior, syntax rules, edge cases, and a minimal example; plus the official vendor documentation.
DENSE_RANK assigns a ranking number to each row, giving equal values the same rank but without gaps after ties.
Rows with equal values receive the same rank; ranks do NOT skip after ties
If this behavior feels unintuitive, the tutorial below explains the underlying pattern step-by-step.
DENSE_RANK() OVER ( [PARTITION BY ...] ORDER BY ... )
SELECT DENSE_RANK() OVER (ORDER BY salary) AS salary_dense_rank, employee_id, salary FROM employees
If you came here to confirm syntax, you’re done. If you came here to get better at window functions, choose your next step.
DENSE_RANK is part of a bigger window-function pattern. If you want the “why”, start here: Ranking Functions
Reading docs is useful. Writing the query correctly under pressure is the skill.
For the authoritative spec, use the vendor docs. This page is the fast “sanity check”.
View Databricks SQL Documentation →Looking for more functions across all SQL dialects? Visit the full SQL Dialects & Window Functions Documentation.