SQL EXISTS Operator

The SQL EXISTS Operator

The EXISTS operator is used to test for the existence of any record in a subquery.

The EXISTS operator returns true if the subquery returns one or more records.

EXISTS Syntax

SELECT column_name(s)
FROM table_name
WHERE EXISTS
(SELECT column_name FROM table_name WHERE condition);

SQL EXISTS Examples

The following SQL statement returns TRUE and lists the suppliers with a product price less than 20:

SELECT SupplierName
FROM Suppliers
WHERE EXISTS (SELECT ProductName FROM Products WHERE SupplierId = Suppliers.supplierId AND Price < 20);

The following SQL statement returns TRUE and lists the suppliers with a product price equal to 22:

SELECT SupplierName
FROM Suppliers
WHERE EXISTS (SELECT ProductName FROM Products WHERE SupplierId = Suppliers.supplierId AND Price = 22);