Thread: [Question] Window Function Results without ORDER BY Clause

Hi,

I am reaching out to discuss the behavior of window functions in Postgres, specifically regarding the use of the OVER() clause without an ORDER BY specification.
In our recent tests, we observed that the results can be unstable. 
For example, when executing the following query:


SELECT sum(unique1) OVER (ROWS BETWEEN CURRENT ROW AND UNBOUNDED FOLLOWING),
 unique1, four
FROM tenk1 
WHERE unique1 < 10;

The case is in window.sql of regression.

explain(costs off) SELECT sum(unique1) over (rows between current row and unbounded following),
 unique1, four
FROM tenk1 WHERE unique1 < 10;
 QUERY PLAN
--------------------------------------------------------------------
 WindowAgg
 Window: w1 AS (ROWS BETWEEN CURRENT ROW AND UNBOUNDED FOLLOWING)
 -> Index Scan using tenk1_unique1 on tenk1
 Index Cond: (unique1 < 10)
(4 rows)

regression=# SELECT sum(unique1) over (rows between current row and unbounded following),
 unique1, four
FROM tenk1 WHERE unique1 < 10;
 sum | unique1 | four
-----+---------+------
 45 | 0 | 0
 45 | 1 | 1
 44 | 2 | 2
 42 | 3 | 3
 39 | 4 | 0
 35 | 5 | 1
 30 | 6 | 2
 24 | 7 | 3
 17 | 8 | 0
 9 | 9 | 1
(10 rows)


However, after setting enable_indexscan = off, the results changed:

regression=# set enable_indexscan = off;
SET
regression=# SELECT sum(unique1) over (rows between current row and unbounded following),
 unique1, four
FROM tenk1 WHERE unique1 < 10;
 sum | unique1 | four
-----+---------+------
 45 | 4 | 0
 41 | 2 | 2
 39 | 1 | 1
 38 | 6 | 2
 32 | 9 | 1
 23 | 8 | 0
 15 | 5 | 1
 10 | 3 | 3
 7 | 7 | 3
 0 | 0 | 0
(10 rows)

regression=# explain(costs off) SELECT sum(unique1) over (rows between current row and unbounded following),
 unique1, four
FROM tenk1 WHERE unique1 < 10;
 QUERY PLAN
--------------------------------------------------------------------
 WindowAgg
 Window: w1 AS (ROWS BETWEEN CURRENT ROW AND UNBOUNDED FOLLOWING)
 -> Seq Scan on tenk1
 Filter: (unique1 < 10)
(4 rows)


Referring to the SQL 2011 standard, it states that if ORDER BY is omitted, the order of rows in the partition is undefined. 
While using a window function without ORDER BY is valid, the resulting output seems unpredictable.


So, are both result sets technically correct given the absence of an ORDER BY clause?



--
Zhang Mingli
HashData