# An Efficient Way to Check for Existence of Multiple Values in SQL

DevFeed: [An Efficient Way to Check for Existence of Multiple Values in SQL](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/an-efficient-way-to-check-for-existence-of-multiple-values-in-sql-28931.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://blog.jooq.org/an-efficient-way-to-check-for-existence-of-multiple-values-in-sql/>)

Author: lukaseder

Published: 2024-02-16T14:16:45Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [jOOQ](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/jooq.md>)

Topics: [SQL](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/sql.md>), [Benchmark](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/benchmark.md>), [Oracle Database](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/oracle-database.md>), [PostgreSQL](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/postgresql.md>)

Tags: [benchmark](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/benchmark.md>), [benchmarking](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/benchmarking.md>), [compare](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/compare.md>), [count](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/count.md>), [database](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/database.md>), [derived-table](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/derived-table.md>), [execution](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/execution.md>), [exists](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/exists.md>), [join](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/join.md>), [limit](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/limit.md>), [mysql](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/mysql.md>), [oracle](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/oracle.md>), [oracle-23c](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/oracle-23c.md>), [performance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/performance.md>), [postgresql](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/postgresql.md>), [rdbms](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/rdbms.md>), [sql](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/sql.md>), [sql-performance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/sql-performance.md>), [sql-server](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/sql-server.md>), [sql-syntax](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/sql-syntax.md>), [top](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/top.md>)

## AI overview

This article explains how to check whether multiple matching rows exist in SQL. It recommends limiting rows in a derived table before counting them, then compares execution plans and benchmark results for PostgreSQL 15 and Oracle 23c.

## Source excerpt

In a previous blog post, we've advertised the use of SQL EXISTS rather than COUNT(*) to check for existence of a value in SQL. I.e. to check if in the Sakila database, actors called WAHLBERG have played in any films, instead of: Do this: (Depending on your dialect you may require a FROM DUAL clause, ... Continue reading An Efficient Way to Check for Existence of Multiple Values in SQL ->