What is Common Table Expressions in SQL (CTEs)?

Imagine a big bookshelf full of books about different things. Some books are private, like diaries, and only certain people should see them. CTEs help make sure only the right people can “read” the right books.

Common Table Expressions (CTEs) are like super tools that ensures data security and also help us understand it better.

Common table expressions are temporary tables or result sets that are created when we run specific commands on our data. They are like special filters that only show certain parts of our data to the right people.

CTEs work behind the scenes to make sure sensitive information, like salaries, is only seen by the right people in a company. They act like secret codes that unlock only the data someone is allowed to see.

In the above example CTE is named “engineers.” It’s essentially creating a temporary table or result set called “engineers” that contains all the columns and rows from the “employees” table where the “department” column has the value “Engineering”.

So, when you use this CTE in a larger query, you can refer to it as if it were a table called “engineers” that only includes employees from the Engineering department. This can be useful for organising your SQL queries and making them more readable and maintainable.

At EnqDB, we utilise Common Table Expressions (CTEs) to achieve row-level security in the case of multi-tenant environments. Our approach ensures that your data is kept secure while also enhancing your ability to analyse it effectively.

By partnering with EnqDB, you benefit from top-notch AI analytics. Our smart software ensures that only authorized users access the data they require, providing peace of mind and empowering informed decision-making. We at  EnqDB  help SaaS businesses to delight their customers with AI analytics under a day.