External UDFs enable you to write your own functions in the C, C++, or Java programming language, install them on the database, and use them like built-in SQL functions.
You can also install external UDF objects or packages from third-party vendors.
Vantage supports three types of external UDFs.
| UDF Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Aggregate | Produces summary results. Takes grouped sets of relational data, makes a pass over each group, and returns one result for the group. Examples of built-in SQL aggregate functions are AVG, SUM, MAX, and MIN. |
| Scalar | Takes input parameters and returns a single value result. Examples of built-in SQL scalar functions are CHARACTER_LENGTH, POSITION, and TRIM. |
| Table | Invoked in the FROM clause of a SELECT statement. Returns a table to the statement. |