sql server delete duplicate rows keep one code example

Example 1: sql server delete records that have a single duplicate column

WITH cte AS (
    SELECT 
        contact_id, 
        first_name, 
        last_name, 
        email, 
        ROW_NUMBER() OVER (
            PARTITION BY 
                first_name, 
                last_name, 
                email
            ORDER BY 
                first_name, 
                last_name, 
                email
        ) row_num
     FROM 
        sales.contacts
)
DELETE FROM cte
WHERE row_num > 1;

Example 2: sql delete duplicate rows but keep one

# Step 1: Copy distinct values to temporary table
CREATE TEMPORARY TABLE tmp_user (
    SELECT id, name 
    FROM user
    GROUP BY name
);

# Step 2: Remove all rows from original table
DELETE FROM user;

# Step 3: Remove all rows from original table
INSERT INTO user (SELECT * FROM tmp_user);

# Step 4: Remove temporary table
DROP TABLE tmp_user;

Example 3: sql query to delete duplicate records

--ID should be primary key

--get duplicate records using RANK
SELECT E.ID, 
    E.firstname, 
    E.lastname, 
    E.country, 
    T.rank
FROM [SampleDB].[dbo].[Employee] E
  INNER JOIN
(
 SELECT *, 
        RANK() OVER(PARTITION BY firstname, 
                                 lastname, 
                                 country
        ORDER BY id) rank
 FROM [SampleDB].[dbo].[Employee]
) T ON E.ID = t.ID;

--delete duplications
DELETE E
    FROM [SampleDB].[dbo].[Employee] E
         INNER JOIN
    (
        SELECT *, 
               RANK() OVER(PARTITION BY firstname, 
                                        lastname, 
                                        country
               ORDER BY id) rank
        FROM [SampleDB].[dbo].[Employee]
    ) T ON E.ID = t.ID
    WHERE rank > 1;