ClickHouse/docs/en/sql-reference/statements/watch.md
2021-02-08 16:24:05 -05:00

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---
toc_priority: 53
toc_title: WATCH
---
# WATCH Statement {#watch}
!!! important "Important"
This is an experimental feature that may change in backwards-incompatible ways in the future releases.
Enable live views and `WATCH` query using `set allow_experimental_live_view = 1`.
``` sql
WATCH [db.]live_view
[EVENTS]
[LIMIT n]
[FORMAT format]
```
The `WATCH` query performs continuous data retrieval from a [live view](./create/view.md#live-view) table.
Unless the `LIMIT` clause is specified it provides an infinite stream of query results
from a live view.
```sql
WATCH [db.]live_view
```
The virtual `_version` column in the query result indicates the current result version.
By default, the requested data is returned to the client, while in conjunction with [INSERT INTO](../../sql-reference/statements/insert-into.md)
it can be forwarded to a different table.
```sql
INSERT INTO [db.]table WATCH [db.]live_view ...
```
## EVENTS Clause
The `EVENTS` clause can be used to obtain a short form of the `WATCH` query
where instead of the query result you will just get the latest query
result version.
```sql
WATCH [db.]live_view EVENTS LIMIT 1
```
## LIMIT Clause {#limit-clause}
The `LIMIT n` clause species the number of updates the `WATCH` query should wait
for before terminating. By default there is no limit on the number of updates and therefore
the query will not terminate. The value of `0`
indicates that the `WATCH` query should not wait for any new query results
and therefore will return immediately once query is evaluated.
```sql
WATCH [db.]live_view LIMIT 1
```
## FORMAT Clause {#format-clause}
The `FORMAT` clause works the same way as for the [SELECT](./select/index.md#format-clause).
!!! info "Note"
The [JSONEachRowWithProgress](../../interfaces/formats/#jsoneachrowwithprogress) format should be used when watching [live view](./create/view.md#live-view)
tables over the HTTP interface. The progress messages will be added to the output
to keep the long-lived HTTP connection alive until the query result changes.
The interval between progress messages is controlled using the [live_view_heartbeat_interval](./create/view.md#live-view-settings) setting.