Why Does My Database Query Return Results in an Unpredictable Order Without an `ORDER BY` Clause?

Database query: ordering and ORDER BY clause

Database queries are different from human reading comprehension and cannot understand implicit instructions. If the ORDER BY clause is omitted from the query statement, the order of retrieved records is completely arbitrary and unpredictable.

For example, consider a query with a WHERE clause, such as:

<code class="language-sql">WHERE RESULTS_I_AM_SEARCHING_FOR IN
ITEM 1
ITEM 2
ITEM 3</code>

You might think that the results would be returned in the order specified in the WHERE clause. However, this is not guaranteed behavior. The database may return records in any order it sees fit.

This inconsistent ordering creates challenges when working with data sets and may disrupt subsequent operations or visualizations that rely on the order of the data.

To ensure consistent sorting, be sure to specify the ORDER BY clause explicitly in the query. This clause clearly defines the sorting criteria, ensuring that records are retrieved and displayed in the desired order. By omitting the ORDER BY clause, you give up control over the order of results, leaving it entirely up to the database's internal processing mechanisms.

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