min() — PostgreSQL aggregate aggregate function

min(): minimum value of all bigint input values. PostgreSQL aggregate functions — signature, volatility, version applicability and an illustrative example.

The Sev-1 Admin
The Sev-1 Admin  ·  2 min read

Summary

min is a PostgreSQL built-in aggregate function in the Aggregate Functions group. PostgreSQL’s system catalog (pg_proc) describes it as: “minimum value of all bigint input values”.

Signature

min has 25 documented overloaded forms:

min(bigint) → bigint
min(integer) → integer
min(smallint) → smallint
min(oid) → oid
min(real) → real
min(double precision) → double precision
min(date) → date
min(time) → time
min(time with time zone) → time with time zone
min(money) → money
min(timestamp) → timestamp
min(timestamp with time zone) → timestamp with time zone
min(interval) → interval
min(text) → text
min(numeric) → numeric
min(anyarray) → anyarray
min(record) → record
min(character) → character
min(tid) → tid
min(inet) → inet
min(pg_lsn) → pg_lsn
min(xid8) → xid8
min(bytea) → bytea
min(anyenum) → anyenum
min(oid8) → oid8

Argument and return types are taken from the pg_proc catalog; internal type names are shown using their readable SQL spellings (for example int4 is shown as integer). (Derived from the catalog — see the linked reference for the canonical documentation.)

Classification

  • Category: Aggregate Functions
  • Kind: Aggregate function
  • Volatility: IMMUTABLE — Marked IMMUTABLE — it always returns the same result for the same arguments and can be used in indexes and other contexts that require immutability.
  • Returns: anyarray, anyenum, bigint, bytea, character, date, double precision, inet, integer, interval, money, numeric, oid, oid8, pg_lsn, real, record, smallint, text, tid, time, time with time zone, timestamp, timestamp with time zone, xid8

Example

Illustrative form (replace placeholder values with your own data):

SELECT min(col) FROM your_table;

The example above is illustrative and is meant to show calling syntax only; consult the linked PostgreSQL documentation for exact semantics, edge cases and accepted argument combinations.

Version applicability

min is present across the surveyed releases (PostgreSQL 15, 16, 17, 18, 19). On older major versions, behaviour may differ in detail — always check the documentation for the version you run.

Related & references

Reference: PostgreSQL documentation — Aggregate Functions.