# Scalar functions

Scalar functions evaluate expressions and return one value per input row. They transform text, numbers, dates, structured values and other SQL data.

## Calling a function

```text
function_name(argument, ...)
```

Function names ignore ASCII case. Use the documented spelling, including underscores. Accepted argument counts, conversion rules and NULL behavior are stated for each function; similar names in another database do not imply identical overloads.

```sql
SELECT lower('HELLO'), abs(-7), coalesce(NULL, 'fallback')
FORMAT csv;
```

```text
"hello",7,"fallback"
```

Unlike scalar functions, [aggregates](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/aggregate-functions) combine rows, [table functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/table-functions) provide rows in FROM, and [window functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/window-functions) read related rows while retaining each input row.

## Function families

* [Arithmetic functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/arithmetic-functions)
* [Array functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/array-functions)
* [Bit functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/bit-functions)
* [Comparison functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/comparison-functions)
* [Conditional functions and CASE](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/conditional-functions)
* [Date and time functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/date-time-functions)
* [Vector distances](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/distance-functions)
* [Encoding and binary functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/encoding-functions)
* [Functions for NULL values](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/functions-for-nulls)
* [Geographic functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/geo)
* [Hash and digest functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/hash-functions)
* [IP address and network functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/ip-address-functions)
* [JSON functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/json-functions)
* [Logical expressions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/logical-functions)
* [Mathematical functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/math-functions)
* [Utility functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/other-functions)
* [Random functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/random-functions)
* [Rounding functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/rounding-functions)
* [Splitting and joining strings](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/splitting-merging-functions)
* [String functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/string-functions)
* [String replacement functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/string-replace-functions)
* [String search and full-text functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/string-search-functions)
* [Tuple functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/tuple-functions)
* [Map functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/tuple-map-functions)
* [Type conversion functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/type-conversion-functions)
* [UUID functions](https://coordinatordb.com/docs/reference/functions/regular-functions/uuid-functions)