---
title: Count
---

Use `COUNT(*)` to count the number of matches for a query:

```sql
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM mock_items
WHERE id @@@ paradedb.all();
```

To exclude null values of a specific field from the final count, pass the field into `COUNT`:

```sql
SELECT COUNT(rating) FROM mock_items
WHERE id @@@ paradedb.all();
```

<Note>
  The field being counted, in this case `rating`, must be indexed as
  [fast](/documentation/indexing/fast_fields).
</Note>

To verify that `COUNT` was pushed down, look for a `ParadeDB Aggregate Scan` with `value_count` in the `EXPLAIN` output:

```sql
EXPLAIN SELECT COUNT(rating) FROM mock_items
WHERE id @@@ paradedb.all();
```

```sql Expected Response
                                      QUERY PLAN
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Custom Scan (ParadeDB Aggregate Scan) on mock_items  (cost=0.00..0.00 rows=0 width=8)
   Index: search_idx
   Tantivy Query: {"with_index":{"query":"all"}}
   Aggregate Definition: {"0":{"value_count":{"field":"rating"}}}
(4 rows)
```
