18 points | by gmcabrita an hour ago ago
4 comments
If you are satisfied with an approximation of "DISTINCT", there is a facinating probabilistic algorithm by Flajolet and Martin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flajolet%E2%80%93Martin_algori...
which fits on 10 lines and does not require sorting. Improved versions of it are LogLog and HyperLogLog.
APPROX_COUNT_DISTINCT / APPROX_DISTINCT
https://www.sketchingbigdata.org/
In the same vein: https://www.snowflake.com/en/blog/engineering/postgres-count...
Hard to make a case to engange with an AI written article even if not fully slop
If you are satisfied with an approximation of "DISTINCT", there is a facinating probabilistic algorithm by Flajolet and Martin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flajolet%E2%80%93Martin_algori...
which fits on 10 lines and does not require sorting. Improved versions of it are LogLog and HyperLogLog.
APPROX_COUNT_DISTINCT / APPROX_DISTINCT
https://www.sketchingbigdata.org/
In the same vein: https://www.snowflake.com/en/blog/engineering/postgres-count...
Hard to make a case to engange with an AI written article even if not fully slop