lead

Lesson in the SQL Roadmap · Stage 16: Advanced SQL

Last updated 14 September 2026

What is lead?

LEAD is a window function in SQL that provides access to a row at a specified offset after the current row within a partition. It's the counterpart to the LAG function, allowing you to look ahead in your dataset rather than behind. LEAD is useful for comparing current values with future values, calculating forward-looking metrics, or analyzing trends in sequential data. Like LAG, it takes arguments for the column to offset, the number of rows to look ahead (default is 1), and an optional default value when the offset exceeds the partition's boundary.

Study this in the interactive course See the whole SQL roadmap

Free resources to learn lead

ArticleSQL LEAD
VideoLAG and LEAD Window Functions in SQL

lead: common questions

Can I learn lead in Hindi?

This lesson is written in English. Once you sign in, open it in the interactive course and ask the AI tutor to explain lead in Hindi or Hinglish. The tutor answers from this lesson’s own text, so it stays on the syllabus, and it runs on your own Google, OpenAI or Anthropic key.

Is this lead tutorial for beginners?

It is lesson 110 of 112 in the free SQL roadmap, in stage 16, Advanced SQL. If you are new to SQL, start from stage 1 and come back here in order; if you already know the earlier stages, this lesson stands on its own.