# COALESCE function
Returns the first non-NULL element provided.

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://preview.materialize.com/materialize/40269/llms.txt).


`COALESCE` returns the first non-`NULL` element provided.

## Signatures

Parameter | Type | Description
----------|------|------------
val | [Any](https://preview.materialize.com/materialize/40269/markdown-docs/sql/types/index.md) | The values you want to check.

### Return value

All elements of the parameters for `coalesce` must be of the same type; `coalesce` returns that type, or _NULL_.

## Examples

```mzsql
SELECT coalesce(NULL, 3, 2, 1) AS coalesce_res;
```
```nofmt
 res
-----
   3
```