SQLite Random() Function

The SQLite random() function returns a random integer between -9223372036854775808 and +9223372036854775807.

Syntax

random()Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Arguments

The random() function takes no argument.

Return Type

Integer

Examples

The following statement uses the random() function to return a random integer.

SELECT random();Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

random()
-------------------
8713427140561224584

If the number of rows in a table is small, you can use the random() function to get a number of random rows.

For example, the following example uses the random() function to retrieve 5 random albums from the albums table:

SELECT title 
FROM albums
ORDER BY random() 
LIMIT 5;Code language: SQL (Structured Query Language) (sql)

Output:

Title
-------------------------
Deep Purple In Rock
Live After Death
A Matter of Life and Death
Na Pista
The Best Of 1980-1990Code language: Shell Session (shell)