A recursive query in SQL is used to handle hierarchical data through a recursive Common Table Expression (CTE) that processes data in three stages: anchor member, recursive member, and termination condition. 1) The anchor member sets the initial result set. 2) The recursive member builds on previous results by joining the CTE with source data. 3) The recursion stops when no new rows are added. It is commonly applied to organizational hierarchies, bill of materials, threaded discussions, and file trees. Proper setup includes clear termination logic, depth limits, indexing, and testing on small datasets to avoid infinite loops, performance issues, or incorrect joins.
A recursive query in SQL is a type of query that can reference itself repeatedly to process hierarchical or tree-like data structures. It’s especially useful when working with data like organizational charts, file systems, or threaded comments — anything where each record might have a parent-child relationship.

The main tool for this in SQL is the Common Table Expression (CTE), specifically the recursive CTE. It starts with an initial result set and then keeps adding rows by referencing the previous ones until no more rows are left to add.

How Recursive Queries Work
Recursive queries work in three parts:
- Anchor Member: This is the starting point — the first set of rows the query processes.
- Recursive Member: This part references the result from the previous step and builds on it.
- Termination Condition: The recursion stops when no more rows are returned.
Here's a basic structure:

WITH RECURSIVE cte_name AS ( -- Anchor member SELECT ... FROM ... WHERE ... UNION ALL -- Recursive member SELECT ... FROM cte_name JOIN ... ON ... ) -- Final select SELECT * FROM cte_name;
Let’s say you're querying an employee table where each employee has a manager ID pointing to another employee. A recursive query could show the entire reporting chain from a CEO down to the newest hire.
When You’d Use a Recursive Query
You’ll find yourself reaching for recursive queries when dealing with:
- Organizational hierarchies: Like managers and reports.
- Bill of Materials (BOM): For example, breaking down components in manufacturing.
- Threaded discussions: Like replies to replies in a forum.
- File or category trees: Navigating nested folders or categories.
In these cases, the relationships aren’t flat — they branch out in levels. Trying to do this with regular joins would require knowing how many levels deep you need to go, which isn't always possible.
Tips for Writing Recursive Queries
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Use clear termination logic: Otherwise, you risk infinite loops.
-
Limit depth if needed: Some databases allow options like
MAXRECURSION
(SQL Server) orCYCLE
detection (PostgreSQL). - Index the relevant columns: Especially the parent/child ID columns. Without indexes, performance can drop fast.
-
Test small first: Start with limited datasets or use
LIMIT
orWHERE
filters during development.
For example, in PostgreSQL, you can use the CYCLE
clause to detect and stop circular references automatically.
Common Pitfalls
Some common issues people run into:
- ? Forgetting to include a way to stop the recursion.
- ? Joining incorrectly in the recursive part, leading to missing or duplicated data.
- ? Not limiting the recursion depth in large datasets, causing performance issues.
If your query runs forever or returns too much data, double-check your join conditions and test with smaller subsets first.
That’s basically it — recursive queries are powerful but need careful setup. Once you get the hang of structuring them, they become a solid tool for navigating complex relationships in your data.
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