--- slug: /en/sql-reference/functions/conditional-functions sidebar_position: 43 sidebar_label: 'Conditional ' --- # Conditional Functions ## if Controls conditional branching. Unlike most systems, ClickHouse always evaluate both expressions `then` and `else`. **Syntax** ``` sql if(cond, then, else) ``` If the condition `cond` evaluates to a non-zero value, returns the result of the expression `then`, and the result of the expression `else`, if present, is skipped. If the `cond` is zero or `NULL`, then the result of the `then` expression is skipped and the result of the `else` expression, if present, is returned. You can use the [short_circuit_function_evaluation](../../operations/settings/settings.md#short-circuit-function-evaluation) setting to calculate the `if` function according to a short scheme. If this setting is enabled, `then` expression is evaluated only on rows where `cond` is true, `else` expression – where `cond` is false. For example, an exception about division by zero is not thrown when executing the query `SELECT if(number = 0, 0, intDiv(42, number)) FROM numbers(10)`, because `intDiv(42, number)` will be evaluated only for numbers that doesn't satisfy condition `number = 0`. **Arguments** - `cond` – The condition for evaluation that can be zero or not. The type is UInt8, Nullable(UInt8) or NULL. - `then` – The expression to return if condition is met. - `else` – The expression to return if condition is not met. **Returned values** The function executes `then` and `else` expressions and returns its result, depending on whether the condition `cond` ended up being zero or not. **Example** Query: ``` sql SELECT if(1, plus(2, 2), plus(2, 6)); ``` Result: ``` text ┌─plus(2, 2)─┐ │ 4 │ └────────────┘ ``` Query: ``` sql SELECT if(0, plus(2, 2), plus(2, 6)); ``` Result: ``` text ┌─plus(2, 6)─┐ │ 8 │ └────────────┘ ``` - `then` and `else` must have the lowest common type. **Example:** Take this `LEFT_RIGHT` table: ``` sql SELECT * FROM LEFT_RIGHT ┌─left─┬─right─┐ │ ᴺᵁᴸᴸ │ 4 │ │ 1 │ 3 │ │ 2 │ 2 │ │ 3 │ 1 │ │ 4 │ ᴺᵁᴸᴸ │ └──────┴───────┘ ``` The following query compares `left` and `right` values: ``` sql SELECT left, right, if(left < right, 'left is smaller than right', 'right is greater or equal than left') AS is_smaller FROM LEFT_RIGHT WHERE isNotNull(left) AND isNotNull(right) ┌─left─┬─right─┬─is_smaller──────────────────────────┐ │ 1 │ 3 │ left is smaller than right │ │ 2 │ 2 │ right is greater or equal than left │ │ 3 │ 1 │ right is greater or equal than left │ └──────┴───────┴─────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` Note: `NULL` values are not used in this example, check [NULL values in conditionals](#null-values-in-conditionals) section. ## Ternary Operator It works same as `if` function. Syntax: `cond ? then : else` Returns `then` if the `cond` evaluates to be true (greater than zero), otherwise returns `else`. - `cond` must be of type of `UInt8`, and `then` and `else` must have the lowest common type. - `then` and `else` can be `NULL` **See also** - [ifNotFinite](../../sql-reference/functions/other-functions.md#ifnotfinite). ## multiIf Allows you to write the [CASE](../../sql-reference/operators/index.md#operator_case) operator more compactly in the query. **Syntax** ``` sql multiIf(cond_1, then_1, cond_2, then_2, ..., else) ``` You can use the [short_circuit_function_evaluation](../../operations/settings/settings.md#short-circuit-function-evaluation) setting to calculate the `multiIf` function according to a short scheme. If this setting is enabled, `then_i` expression is evaluated only on rows where `((NOT cond_1) AND (NOT cond_2) AND ... AND (NOT cond_{i-1}) AND cond_i)` is true, `cond_i` will be evaluated only on rows where `((NOT cond_1) AND (NOT cond_2) AND ... AND (NOT cond_{i-1}))` is true. For example, an exception about division by zero is not thrown when executing the query `SELECT multiIf(number = 2, intDiv(1, number), number = 5) FROM numbers(10)`. **Arguments** - `cond_N` — The condition for the function to return `then_N`. - `then_N` — The result of the function when executed. - `else` — The result of the function if none of the conditions is met. The function accepts `2N+1` parameters. **Returned values** The function returns one of the values `then_N` or `else`, depending on the conditions `cond_N`. **Example** Again using `LEFT_RIGHT` table. ``` sql SELECT left, right, multiIf(left < right, 'left is smaller', left > right, 'left is greater', left = right, 'Both equal', 'Null value') AS result FROM LEFT_RIGHT ┌─left─┬─right─┬─result──────────┐ │ ᴺᵁᴸᴸ │ 4 │ Null value │ │ 1 │ 3 │ left is smaller │ │ 2 │ 2 │ Both equal │ │ 3 │ 1 │ left is greater │ │ 4 │ ᴺᵁᴸᴸ │ Null value │ └──────┴───────┴─────────────────┘ ``` ## Using Conditional Results Directly Conditionals always result to `0`, `1` or `NULL`. So you can use conditional results directly like this: ``` sql SELECT left < right AS is_small FROM LEFT_RIGHT ┌─is_small─┐ │ ᴺᵁᴸᴸ │ │ 1 │ │ 0 │ │ 0 │ │ ᴺᵁᴸᴸ │ └──────────┘ ``` ## NULL Values in Conditionals When `NULL` values are involved in conditionals, the result will also be `NULL`. ``` sql SELECT NULL < 1, 2 < NULL, NULL < NULL, NULL = NULL ┌─less(NULL, 1)─┬─less(2, NULL)─┬─less(NULL, NULL)─┬─equals(NULL, NULL)─┐ │ ᴺᵁᴸᴸ │ ᴺᵁᴸᴸ │ ᴺᵁᴸᴸ │ ᴺᵁᴸᴸ │ └───────────────┴───────────────┴──────────────────┴────────────────────┘ ``` So you should construct your queries carefully if the types are `Nullable`. The following example demonstrates this by failing to add equals condition to `multiIf`. ``` sql SELECT left, right, multiIf(left < right, 'left is smaller', left > right, 'right is smaller', 'Both equal') AS faulty_result FROM LEFT_RIGHT ┌─left─┬─right─┬─faulty_result────┐ │ ᴺᵁᴸᴸ │ 4 │ Both equal │ │ 1 │ 3 │ left is smaller │ │ 2 │ 2 │ Both equal │ │ 3 │ 1 │ right is smaller │ │ 4 │ ᴺᵁᴸᴸ │ Both equal │ └──────┴───────┴──────────────────┘ ```