Common Table Expressions (CTE) in MySQL: WITH Clause Guide

A Common Table Expression (CTE) gives a subquery a name using the WITH clause, letting you build complex logic in clean, readable steps. Since MySQL 8, CTEs have become the professional standard for structuring analytical queries.

Key Points

• Syntax: WITH monthly_sales AS (SELECT …) SELECT * FROM monthly_sales;
• Chain multiple CTEs separated by commas — each can reference the previous
• Massively improves readability over deeply nested subqueries
• A CTE exists only for the duration of its statement
• Reference the same CTE multiple times in one query
• Recursive CTEs (WITH RECURSIVE) handle hierarchies and sequences