Core Code
Core Code Modern Dev Handbook

SQL Or

The OR operator returns records when at least one condition is true. Learn how to combine filters safely using parentheses.
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SQL OR Operator

The OR operator is used in a WHERE clause to combine multiple conditions. A record is returned if at least one condition is true.

Basic Syntax

SELECT column1, column2
FROM table_name
WHERE condition1 OR condition2;

Example: Match One of Two Countries

Return customers from either the USA or Canada:

SELECT name, country
FROM customers
WHERE country = 'USA' OR country = 'Canada';

Example: Numeric Conditions

Return products that are either expensive or low in stock:

SELECT name, price, stock
FROM products
WHERE price > 500 OR stock < 5;

OR with Multiple Conditions

You can combine more than two conditions with OR:

SELECT name, country
FROM customers
WHERE country = 'USA'
   OR country = 'Canada'
   OR country = 'UK';

OR vs AND

AND requires all conditions to be true. OR requires only one condition to be true. This difference can dramatically change your results.

Using Parentheses with AND and OR

When combining OR with AND, always use parentheses to control the logic.

Example: customers in the USA who are either active or trial:

SELECT name, country, status
FROM customers
WHERE country = 'USA' AND (status = 'active' OR status = 'trial');

Without parentheses, SQL may evaluate AND before OR, producing unexpected results.

Alternative: Using IN

When checking a column against multiple values, IN is often cleaner than multiple OR conditions:

SELECT name, country
FROM customers
WHERE country IN ('USA', 'Canada', 'UK');

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting parentheses when mixing AND and OR
  • Using too many OR conditions instead of IN
  • Creating overly broad conditions that return too many rows

Next Step

Continue with SQL NOT to learn how to exclude records from your results.

SQL Not →