--- title: LIMIT and SLIMIT clauses description: Use the LIMIT and SLIMIT clauses to limit the number of points and series returned in queries. url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb/v2/query-data/influxql/explore-data/limit-and-slimit/ estimated_tokens: 5448 product: InfluxDB OSS v2 version: v2 --- # LIMIT and SLIMIT clauses This page documents an earlier version of InfluxDB OSS. [InfluxDB 3 Core](/influxdb3/core/) is the latest stable version. #### API token hashing is enabled by default in InfluxDB OSS 2.9.0 Stronger token security: tokens are stored as hashes on disk, so a copy of the database file doesn’t expose usable tokens. Existing tokens are hashed on first startup and the original strings can’t be recovered afterward — **capture any plaintext tokens you still need before you upgrade**. For more information, see [Token hashing](/influxdb/v2/admin/tokens/#token-hashing). Use `LIMIT` and `SLIMIT` to limit the number of [points](/influxdb/v2/reference/glossary/#point) and [series](/influxdb/v2/reference/glossary/#series) returned per query. - [LIMIT clause](#limit-clause) - [Syntax](#syntax) - [Examples](#examples) - [SLIMIT clause](#slimit-clause) - [Syntax](#syntax-1) - [Examples](#examples-2) - [Use LIMIT and SLIMIT together](#use-limit-and-slimit-together) ## LIMIT clause `LIMIT ` returns the first `N` points from the specified [measurement](/influxdb/v2/reference/glossary/#measurement). ### Syntax ```sql SELECT_clause FROM_clause [WHERE_clause] [GROUP_BY_clause] [ORDER_BY_clause] LIMIT ``` `N` specifies the number of points to return from the specified measurement . If `N` is greater than the number of points in a measurement, InfluxDB returns all points from the measurement. **IMPORTANT:** The `LIMIT` clause must appear in the order outlined in the syntax above. ### Examples [](#limit-the-number-of-points-returned) Limit the number of points returned ```sql SELECT "water_level","location" FROM "h2o_feet" LIMIT 3 ``` Output: Name: h2o\_feet | time | water_level | location | | --- | --- | --- | | 2019-08-17T00:00:00Z | 8.1200000000 | coyote_creek | | 2019-08-17T00:00:00Z | 2.0640000000 | santa_monica | | 2019-08-17T00:06:00Z | 8.0050000000 | coyote_creek | The query returns the three oldest points, determined by timestamp, from the `h2o_feet` [measurement](/influxdb/v2/reference/glossary/#measurement). [](#limit-the-number-of-points-returned-and-include-a-group-by-clause) Limit the number of points returned and include a `GROUP BY` clause ```sql SELECT MEAN("water_level") FROM "h2o_feet" WHERE time >= '2019-08-18T00:00:00Z' AND time <= '2019-08-18T00:42:00Z' GROUP BY *,time(12m) LIMIT 2 ``` Output: name: h2o\_feet tags: location=coyote\_creek | time | mean | | --- | --- | | 2019-08-18T00:00:00Z | 8.4615000000 | | 2019-08-18T00:12:00Z | 8.2725000000 | name: h2o\_feet tags: location=santa\_monica | time | mean | | --- | --- | | 2019-08-18T00:00:00Z | 2.3655000000 | | 2019-08-18T00:12:00Z | 2.3360000000 | This query uses the InfluxQL [MEAN() function](/influxdb/v2/query-data/influxql/functions/aggregates/#mean) and a `GROUP BY` clause to calculate the average `water_level` for each [tag](/influxdb/v2/reference/glossary/#tag) and for each 12-minute interval in the queried time range. `LIMIT 2` requests the two oldest 12-minute averages (determined by timestamp). Note that without `LIMIT 2`, the query would return four points per series; one for each 12-minute interval in the queried time range. ## SLIMIT clause `SLIMIT ` returns every [point](/influxdb/v2/reference/glossary/#point) from `N` [series](//influxdb/v2/reference/glossary/#series) in the specified [measurement](/influxdb/v2/reference/glossary/#measurement). ### Syntax ```sql SELECT_clause FROM_clause [WHERE_clause] GROUP BY *[,time()] [ORDER_BY_clause] SLIMIT ``` `N` specifies the number of series to return from the specified measurement. If `N` is greater than the number of series in a measurement, InfluxDB returns all series from that measurement. `SLIMIT` queries must include `GROUP BY *`. Note that the `SLIMIT` clause must appear in the order outlined in the syntax above. ### Examples [](#limit-the-number-of-series-returned) Limit the number of series returned ```sql SELECT "water_level" FROM "h2o_feet" GROUP BY * SLIMIT 1 ``` Output: name: h2o\_feet tags: location=coyote\_creek | time | water_level | | --- | --- | | 2019-08-17T00:00:00Z | 8.1200000000 | | 2019-08-17T00:06:00Z | 8.0050000000 | | 2019-08-17T00:12:00Z | 7.8870000000 | | 2019-08-17T00:18:00Z | 7.7620000000 | | 2019-08-17T00:24:00Z | 7.6350000000 | | 2019-08-17T00:30:00Z | 7.5000000000 | | 2019-08-17T00:36:00Z | 7.3720000000 | The results above include only the first few rows, as the data set is quite large. The query returns all `water_level` [points](/influxdb/v2/reference/glossary/#point) from one of the [series](/influxdb/v2/reference/glossary/#series) associated with the `h2o_feet` [measurement](/influxdb/v2/reference/glossary/#measurement). [](#limit-the-number-of-series-returned-and-include-a-group-by-time-clause) Limit the number of series returned and include a `GROUP BY time()` clause ```sql SELECT MEAN("water_level") FROM "h2o_feet" WHERE time >= '2019-08-18T00:00:00Z' AND time <= '2019-08-18T00:42:00Z' GROUP BY *,time(12m) SLIMIT 1 ``` Output: name: h2o\_feet tags: location=coyote\_creek | time | mean | | --- | --- | | 2019-08-18T00:00:00Z | 8.4615000000 | | 2019-08-18T00:12:00Z | 8.2725000000 | | 2019-08-18T00:24:00Z | 8.0710000000 | | 2019-08-18T00:36:00Z | 7.8330000000 | The query uses the InfluxQL [MEAN() function](/influxdb/v2/query-data/influxql/functions/aggregates/#mean) and a time interval in the [GROUP BY clause](/influxdb/v2/query-data/influxql/explore-data/group-by/) to calculate the average `water_level` for each 12-minute interval in the queried time range. `SLIMIT 1` requests a single series associated with the `h2o_feet` measurement. Note that without `SLIMIT 1`, the query would return results for the two series associated with the `h2o_feet` measurement: `location=coyote_creek` and `location=santa_monica`. ## Use LIMIT and SLIMIT together `LIMIT ` followed by `SLIMIT <2>` returns the first `N1` [points](/influxdb/v2/reference/glossary/#point) from `N2` series in the specified measurement. ### Syntax ```sql SELECT_clause FROM_clause [WHERE_clause] GROUP BY *[,time()] [ORDER_BY_clause] LIMIT SLIMIT ``` `N1` specifies the number of points to return per measurement. If `N1` is greater than the number of points in a measurement, InfluxDB returns all points from that measurement. `N2` specifies the number of series to return from the specified measurement. If `N2` is greater than the number of series in a measurement, InfluxDB returns all series from that measurement. `SLIMIT` queries must include `GROUP BY *`. Note that the `SLIMIT` clause must appear in the order outlined in the syntax above. ### Examples [](#limit-the-number-of-points-and-series-returned) Limit the number of points and series returned ```sql SELECT "water_level" FROM "h2o_feet" GROUP BY * LIMIT 3 SLIMIT 1 ``` Output: Name: h2o\_feet Tags: location=coyote\_creek | time | water_level | | --- | --- | | 2019-08-17T00:00:00Z | 8.1200000000 | | 2019-08-17T00:06:00Z | 8.0050000000 | | 2019-08-17T00:12:00Z | 7.8870000000 | The query returns the three oldest points, determined by timestamp, from one of the series associated with the measurement `h2o_feet`. [](#limit-the-number-of-points-and-series-returned-and-include-a-group-by-time-clause) Limit the number of points and series returned and include a `GROUP BY time()` clause ```sql SELECT MEAN("water_level") FROM "h2o_feet" WHERE time >= '2019-08-18T00:00:00Z' AND time <= '2019-08-18T00:42:00Z' GROUP BY *,time(12m) LIMIT 2 SLIMIT 1 ``` Output: Name: h2o\_feet Tags: location=coyote\_creek | time | mean | | --- | --- | | 2019-08-18T00:00:00Z | 8.4615000000 | | 2019-08-18T00:12:00Z | 8.2725000000 | The query uses the InfluxQL function MEAN() and a time interval in the GROUP BY clause to calculate the average `water_level` for each 12-minute interval in the queried time range. `LIMIT 2` requests the two oldest 12-minute averages (determined by timestamp) and `SLIMIT 1` requests a single series associated with the `h2o_feet` measurement. Note that without `LIMIT 2 SLIMIT 1`, the query would return four points for each of the two series associated with the `h2o_feet` measurement.