---
title: ES|QL COUNT function
description: 
url: https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/query-languages/esql/functions-operators/aggregation-functions/count
products:
  - Elasticsearch
---

# ES|QL COUNT function
## Syntax

![Embedded](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/query-languages/esql/images/generated/x-pack-esql/functions/count.svg)


## Parameters

<definitions>
  <definition term="field">
    Expression that outputs values to be counted. If omitted, equivalent to `COUNT(*)` (the number of rows).
  </definition>
</definitions>


## Description

Returns the total number (count) of input values.

## Supported types


| field                                                                                                                      | result |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|
| aggregate_metric_double                                                                                                    | long   |
| boolean                                                                                                                    | long   |
| cartesian_point                                                                                                            | long   |
| cartesian_shape                                                                                                            | long   |
| date                                                                                                                       | long   |
| date_nanos                                                                                                                 | long   |
| dense_vector                                                                                                               | long   |
| double                                                                                                                     | long   |
| exponential_histogram <applies-to>Elastic Stack: Generally available since 9.4, Elastic Stack: Preview in 9.3</applies-to> | long   |
| geo_point                                                                                                                  | long   |
| geo_shape                                                                                                                  | long   |
| geohash                                                                                                                    | long   |
| geohex                                                                                                                     | long   |
| geotile                                                                                                                    | long   |
| integer                                                                                                                    | long   |
| ip                                                                                                                         | long   |
| keyword                                                                                                                    | long   |
| long                                                                                                                       | long   |
| tdigest <applies-to>Elastic Stack: Generally available since 9.4, Elastic Stack: Preview in 9.3</applies-to>               | long   |
| text                                                                                                                       | long   |
| unsigned_long                                                                                                              | long   |
| version                                                                                                                    | long   |


## Examples

```esql
FROM employees
| STATS COUNT(height)
```


| COUNT(height):long |
|--------------------|
| 100                |

To count the number of rows, use `COUNT()` or `COUNT(*)`
```esql
FROM employees
| STATS count = COUNT(*) BY languages
| SORT languages DESC
```


| count:long | languages:integer |
|------------|-------------------|
| 10         | null              |
| 21         | 5                 |
| 18         | 4                 |
| 17         | 3                 |
| 19         | 2                 |
| 15         | 1                 |

The expression can use inline functions. This example splits a string into multiple values
using the `SPLIT` function and counts the values.
```esql
ROW words="foo;bar;baz;qux;quux;foo"
| STATS word_count = COUNT(SPLIT(words, ";"))
```


| word_count:long |
|-----------------|
| 6               |

To count the number of times an expression returns `TRUE` use a
[`WHERE`](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/query-languages/esql/commands/where) command to remove rows that
shouldn’t be included.
```esql
ROW n=1
| WHERE n < 0
| STATS COUNT(n)
```


| COUNT(n):long |
|---------------|
| 0             |

To count the number of times *multiple* expressions return `TRUE` use a WHERE inside the STATS.
```esql
FROM employees
| STATS
    gte20 = COUNT(*) WHERE height >= 2,
    lte18 = COUNT(*) WHERE height <= 1.8
```


| gte20:long | lte18:long |
|------------|------------|
| 20         | 56         |

`COUNT`ing a multivalued field returns the number of values. `COUNT`ing `NULL` returns 0.
`COUNT`ing `true` returns 1. `COUNT`ing `false` returns 1.
```esql
ROW mv = [1, 2], n = NULL, t = TRUE, f = FALSE
| STATS COUNT(mv), COUNT(n), COUNT(t), COUNT(f)
```


| COUNT(mv):long | COUNT(n):long | COUNT(t):long | COUNT(f):long |
|----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
| 2              | 0             | 1             | 1             |

You may see a pattern like `COUNT(<expression> OR NULL)`. This has the same meaning as
`COUNT() WHERE <expression>`. This relies on `COUNT(NULL)` to return `0` and builds on the
three-valued logic ([3VL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-valued_logic)): `TRUE OR NULL` is `TRUE`, but
`FALSE OR NULL` is `NULL`. Prefer the `COUNT() WHERE <expression>` pattern.
```esql
ROW n=1
| STATS COUNT(n > 0 OR NULL), COUNT(n < 0 OR NULL)
```


| COUNT(n > 0 OR NULL):long | COUNT(n < 0 OR NULL):long |
|---------------------------|---------------------------|
| 1                         | 0                         |

`COUNT` can also operate on `exponential_histogram` fields, returning the total number of values which were used to construct the histograms.
```esql
TS exp_histo_sample
| WHERE instance == "instance-0"
| STATS cnt = COUNT(responseTime)
```


| cnt:long |
|----------|
| 8841     |

`COUNT` can also operate on `tdigest` and casted `histogram` fields, returning the total number of values which were used to construct the digests.
```esql
TS histogram_timeseries_index
| WHERE instance == "instance-0"
| STATS cnt = COUNT(responseTime::tdigest)
```


| cnt:long |
|----------|
| 8841     |