This page is a quick reference checkpoint for LEAD in IBM DB2: behavior, syntax rules, edge cases, and a minimal example; plus the official vendor documentation.
LEAD returns a value from the next row in the window partition.
Returns the value from the row offset positions after the current row within the partition; NULL returned when out of range unless default-value is supplied; IGNORE NULLS skips rows where expression is NULL.
If this behavior feels unintuitive, the tutorial below explains the underlying pattern step-by-step.
Supports LEAD(expr, offset, default) with optional IGNORE NULLS; offset must be a positive integer and defaults to 1; default-value returned when offset exceeds partition scope.
SELECT LEAD(salary) OVER (PARTITION BY dept ORDER BY empno) FROM employee;
If you came here to confirm syntax, you’re done. If you came here to get better at window functions, choose your next step.
LEAD is part of a bigger window-function pattern. If you want the “why”, start here: Lead Lag
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 IBM DB2 Documentation →Looking for more functions across all SQL dialects? Visit the full SQL Dialects & Window Functions Documentation.