ARRAY_MAX

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Syntax

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Scalar

array_max(array)

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Arguments

• T is the array element type: BOOLEAN, TINYINT, SMALLINT, INTEGER, BIGINT, FLOAT, DOUBLE, DECIMAL(p, s), STRING, BINARY, DATE, TIME, TIMESTAMP, ARRAY or STRUCT.

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Returns

• Type: T
• Possible values: The largest non-NULL element.
• NULL behavior: Returns NULL for a NULL array, empty array or array containing only NULL elements. NULL elements are ignored.

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Properties

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Usage notes

• NULL elements are ignored. An empty array or an array containing only NULL returns NULL. Floating-point ordering distinguishes positive and negative zero and different NaN values. STRING and BINARY values use lexicographic order; ARRAY and STRUCT values are compared by their elements or fields.
• INTEGER and INT mean the same type; STRING means VARCHAR text. NULL can be used with a supported type. Cast NULL explicitly when its type would otherwise be unclear.

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Examples

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Typical behavior

SELECT array_max(ARRAY[3, NULL, 1, 2]) AS "value";

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Compare date elements

WITH sample AS (
 SELECT id, CASE WHEN id = 0 THEN ARRAY(DATE '2024-01-01', DATE '2024-03-01')
   ELSE ARRAY(DATE '2024-04-01', DATE '2024-02-01') END AS dates FROM range(0, 2)
)
SELECT array_max(dates) AS latest_date FROM sample ORDER BY id;

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Limitations

• Elements must be comparable. MAP elements are not supported. The ordering of NaN and signed zero can differ from other SQL engines.
• MAP elements, including MAP values nested inside compared elements, are outside the supported element types.