FIRST and NEXT means the same ....

In the past , I have had 2 posts (  http://mfzahirdba.blogspot.com/2013/08/fetch-x-rows-in-oracle-12c-new-feature.html and http://mfzahirdba.blogspot.com/2013/07/oracle-12c-installed-new-fetch-feature.html)  on Pagination feature in oracle 12c ( Fetch ... ) . 

Semantically , FIRST  and NEXT means the same in this SQL construct . Sounds bit odd , a'int it ?

Here is an example.

SQL> select empno,ename,hiredate from scott.emp  order by hiredate;

     EMPNO ENAME      HIREDATE
---------- ---------- ---------
      7369 SMITH      17-DEC-80
      7499 ALLEN      20-FEB-81
      7521 WARD       22-FEB-81
      7566 JONES      02-APR-81
      7698 BLAKE      01-MAY-81
      7782 CLARK      09-JUN-81
      7844 TURNER     08-SEP-81
      7654 MARTIN     28-SEP-81
      7839 KING       17-NOV-81
      7900 JAMES      03-DEC-81
      7902 FORD       03-DEC-81
      7934 MILLER     23-JAN-82
      7788 SCOTT      19-APR-87
      7876 ADAMS      23-MAY-87

14 rows selected.

SQL> select empno , ename , hiredate from scott.emp order by hiredate fetch first  5 rows only;

     EMPNO ENAME      HIREDATE
---------- ---------- ---------
      7369 SMITH      17-DEC-80
      7499 ALLEN      20-FEB-81
      7521 WARD       22-FEB-81
      7566 JONES      02-APR-81
      7698 BLAKE      01-MAY-81

SQL> select empno , ename , hiredate from scott.emp order by hiredate fetch next  5 rows only;

     EMPNO ENAME      HIREDATE
---------- ---------- ---------
      7369 SMITH      17-DEC-80
      7499 ALLEN      20-FEB-81
      7521 WARD       22-FEB-81
      7566 JONES      02-APR-81
      7698 BLAKE      01-MAY-81


If you want to display the next n records , you will need to use OFFSET clause . 

SQL> select empno , ename , hiredate from scott.emp
  2  order by hiredate
  3  offset 5 rows
  4  fetch first  5 rows only  ;

     EMPNO ENAME      HIREDATE
---------- ---------- ---------
      7782 CLARK      09-JUN-81
      7844 TURNER     08-SEP-81
      7654 MARTIN     28-SEP-81
      7839 KING       17-NOV-81

      7900 JAMES      03-DEC-81

SQL> select empno , ename , hiredate from scott.emp
  2  order by hiredate
  3  offset 5 rows
  4  fetch next  5 rows only  ;

     EMPNO ENAME      HIREDATE
---------- ---------- ---------
      7782 CLARK      09-JUN-81
      7844 TURNER     08-SEP-81
      7654 MARTIN     28-SEP-81
      7839 KING       17-NOV-81

      7900 JAMES      03-DEC-81


Update:

The same semantic issue is with SQL Server as well. 
Examples below . 

The only ( major) difference is that FETCH clause has to be used in conjunction with OFFSET clause , as can be seen from the last example below. 

1> Select table_name  from information_Schema.tables
2> order by table_type ;
3> GO

table_name
----------
spt_fallback_db
spt_fallback_dev
spt_fallback_usg
SpServerDiagnosticsResult
MSreplication_options
spt_monitor
spt_values

(7 rows affected)
1> Select table_name from information_Schema.tables
2> order by table_type
3> offset 2 rows
4> fetch first  3 rows only;
5> GO
table_name
----------
spt_fallback_usg
spt_fallback_dev
spt_fallback_db

(3 rows affected)
1> Select table_name from information_Schema.tables
2> order by table_type
3> offset 2 rows
4> fetch next   3 rows only;
5> GO
table_name
----------
spt_fallback_usg
spt_fallback_dev
spt_fallback_db

(3 rows affected)
1>
2>
3>
4>
5> Select table_name from information_Schema.tables
6> order by table_type
7> fetch first  3 rows only;
8> GO
Msg 153, Level 15, State 2, Server DDCVSQL02, Line 7
Invalid usage of the option first in the FETCH statement.
 

Comments Welcome.