What is the LIMIT clause in SQL?

Short answer: The LIMIT clause is used to specify the number of records returned by a SELECT query. It is commonly used to restrict the number of rows, especially for pagination.

Example code

SELECT * FROM Employees LIMIT 5; This will return only the first 5 rows from the Employees table.

Real-world example (ShopNest)

ShopNest’s SQL Server database stores customers, products, and orders. Good indexes and clear foreign keys keep checkout queries fast and safe.

Say this in the interview

1. Define — one clear sentence (the short answer above).
2. Example — relate it to a project like ShopNest or your real work.
3. Trade-off — when you would not use it.