WITH clause

Description

A WITH clause is an optional clause that precedes the SELECT INTO in a query. The WITH clause defines one or more common_table_expressions. Each common table expression (CTE) defines a temporary table, which is similar to a view definition. You can reference these temporary tables in the FROM clause. (Redshift SQL Language Reference WITH Clause)

The WITH clause is fully supported in Snowflake.

Grammar Syntax

[ WITH [RECURSIVE] common_table_expression [, common_table_expression , ...] ]

--Where common_table_expression can be either non-recursive or recursive. 
--Following is the non-recursive form:
CTE_table_name [ ( column_name [, ...] ) ] AS ( query )

--Following is the recursive form of common_table_expression:
CTE_table_name (column_name [, ...] ) AS ( recursive_query )

Sample Source Patterns

Non-Recursive form

Input Code:

Redshift

IN -> Redshift_01.sql

CREATE TABLE orders (
    order_id INT,
    customer_id INT,
    order_date DATE,
    total_amount DECIMAL(10,2)
);


INSERT INTO orders (order_id, customer_id, order_date, total_amount)
VALUES
(1, 101, '2024-02-01', 250.00),
(2, 102, '2024-02-02', 600.00),
(3, 103, '2024-02-03', 150.00),
(4, 104, '2024-02-04', 750.00),
(5, 105, '2024-02-05', 900.00);


WITH HighValueOrders AS (
    SELECT
        order_id,
        customer_id,
        order_date,
        total_amount
    FROM orders
    WHERE total_amount > 500
)
SELECT * INTO high_value_orders FROM HighValueOrders;

SELECT * FROM high_value_orders;

Results

ORDER_ID	CUSTOMER_ID	ORDER_DATE	TOTAL_AMOUNT
2	102	2024-02-02	600.00
4	104	2024-02-04	750.00
5	105	2024-02-05	900.00

Output Code:

Snowflake

OUT -> Redshift_01.sql

CREATE TABLE orders (
    order_id INT,
    customer_id INT,
    order_date DATE,
    total_amount DECIMAL(10,2)
)
COMMENT = '{ "origin": "sf_sc", "name": "snowconvert", "version": {  "major": 0,  "minor": 0,  "patch": "0" }, "attributes": {  "component": "redshift",  "convertedOn": "03/03/2025",  "domain": "test" }}';


INSERT INTO orders (order_id, customer_id, order_date, total_amount)
VALUES
(1, 101, '2024-02-01', 250.00),
(2, 102, '2024-02-02', 600.00),
(3, 103, '2024-02-03', 150.00),
(4, 104, '2024-02-04', 750.00),
(5, 105, '2024-02-05', 900.00);

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS high_value_orders AS
WITH HighValueOrders AS (
    SELECT
        order_id,
        customer_id,
        order_date,
        total_amount
    FROM
        orders
    WHERE total_amount > 500
    )
    SELECT *
    FROM
    HighValueOrders;
    
SELECT * FROM
    high_value_orders;

Results

ORDER_ID	CUSTOMER_ID	ORDER_DATE	TOTAL_AMOUNT
2	102	2024-02-02	600.00
4	104	2024-02-04	750.00
5	105	2024-02-05	900.00

Recursive form

Input Code:

Redshift

IN -> Redshift_02.sql

CREATE TABLE employee (
   id INT,
   name VARCHAR(20),
   manager_id INT
);

INSERT INTO employee(id, name, manager_id) VALUES
(100, 'Carlos', null),
(101, 'John', 100),
(102, 'Jorge', 101),
(103, 'Kwaku', 101),
(110, 'Liu', 101),
(106, 'Mateo', 102),
(110, 'Nikki', 103),
(104, 'Paulo', 103),
(105, 'Richard', 103),
(120, 'Saanvi', 104),
(200, 'Shirley', 104),
(201, 'Sofía', 102),
(205, 'Zhang', 104);


WITH RECURSIVE john_org(id, name, manager_id, level) 
AS
( 
   SELECT id, name, manager_id, 1 AS level
   FROM employee
   WHERE name = 'John'
   UNION ALL
   SELECT e.id, e.name, e.manager_id, level + 1 AS next_level
   FROM employee e, john_org j
   WHERE e.manager_id = j.id and level < 4
)
SELECT DISTINCT id, name, manager_id into new_org FROM john_org ORDER BY manager_id;

SELECT * FROM new_org;

Results

ID	NAME	MANAGER_ID
101	John	100
103	Kwaku	101
102	Jorge	101
110	Liu	101
106	Mateo	102
201	Sofía	102
105	Richard	103
110	Nikki	103
104	Paulo	103
120	Saanvi	104
200	Shirley	104
205	Zhang	104

Output Code:

Snowflake

OUT -> Redshift_02.sql

CREATE TABLE employee (
   id INT,
   name VARCHAR(20),
   manager_id INT
)
COMMENT = '{ "origin": "sf_sc", "name": "snowconvert", "version": {  "major": 0,  "minor": 0,  "patch": "0" }, "attributes": {  "component": "redshift",  "convertedOn": "02/06/2025",  "domain": "test" }}';

INSERT INTO employee (id, name, manager_id) VALUES
(100, 'Carlos', null),
(101, 'John', 100),
(102, 'Jorge', 101),
(103, 'Kwaku', 101),
(110, 'Liu', 101),
(106, 'Mateo', 102),
(110, 'Nikki', 103),
(104, 'Paulo', 103),
(105, 'Richard', 103),
(120, 'Saanvi', 104),
(200, 'Shirley', 104),
(201, 'Sofía', 102),
(205, 'Zhang', 104);

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS new_org AS
WITH RECURSIVE john_org(id, name, manager_id, level)
AS
(
   SELECT id, name, manager_id, 1 AS level
   FROM
         employee
   WHERE
         RTRIM( name) = RTRIM( 'John')
   UNION ALL
   SELECT e.id, e.name, e.manager_id, level + 1 AS next_level
   FROM
         employee e,
         john_org j
   WHERE e.manager_id = j.id and level < 4
   )
   SELECT DISTINCT id, name, manager_id
   FROM
   john_org
   ORDER BY manager_id;

   
SELECT * FROM
   new_org;

Results

ID	NAME	MANAGER_ID
101	John	100
103	Kwaku	101
102	Jorge	101
110	Liu	101
106	Mateo	102
201	Sofía	102
105	Richard	103
110	Nikki	103
104	Paulo	103
120	Saanvi	104
200	Shirley	104
205	Zhang	104

Known Issues

There are no known issues.

Related EWIs.

There are no related EWIs.