What is COUNT(*) vs COUNT(column)?

< 1 min read

COUNT() counts all rows returned by the query, including rows with NULL values.
COUNT(column) counts only rows where the specified column is not NULL.
Both are used to measure volume but serve different purposes.
In my project, COUNT() was used to count total transactions.
COUNT(discount_amount) was used to count orders with discounts applied.
This distinction helped answer more specific business questions.
Choosing the right COUNT avoids misinterpreting data.

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