changelog wae sql function updates (#25504)

* changelog wae sql function updates

* missing functions

* add info on WAE

* custom analytics

* getting started edits

Author: nevikashah

src/content/changelog/workers/2025-09-26-analytics-engine-sql-enhancements.mdx

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+---
+title: Workers Analytics Engine adds supports for new SQL functions
+description: Workers Analytics Engine now supports additional SQL functions including new mathematical operations, aggregate functions, and bit functions! 
+date: 2025-10-02
+products:
+  - workers-analytics-engine
+---
+You can now perform more powerful queries directly in [Workers Analytics Engine](https://developers.cloudflare.com/analytics/analytics-engine/) with a major expansion of our SQL function library.
+
+Workers Analytics Engine allows you to ingest and store high-cardinality data at scale (such as custom analytics) and query your data through a simple SQL API. 
+
+Today, we've expanded Workers Analytics Engine's SQL capabilities with several new functions: 
+
+[**New aggregate functions:**](https://developers.cloudflare.com/analytics/analytics-engine/sql-reference/aggregate-functions/)
+- `argMin()` - Returns the value associated with the minimum in a group
+- `argMax()` - Returns the value associated with the maximum in a group
+- `topK()` - Returns an array of the most frequent values in a group
+- `topKWeighted()` - Returns an array of the most frequent values in a group using weights
+- `first_value()` - Returns the first value in an ordered set of values within a partition
+- `last_value()` - Returns the last value in an ordered set of values within a partition
+
+[**New bit functions:**](https://developers.cloudflare.com/analytics/analytics-engine/sql-reference/bit-functions/)
+- `bitAnd()` - Returns the bitwise AND of two expressions
+- `bitCount()` - Returns the number of bits set to one in the binary representation of a number
+- `bitHammingDistance()` - Returns the number of bits that differ between two numbers
+- `bitNot()` - Returns a number with all bits flipped
+- `bitOr()` - Returns the inclusive bitwise OR of two expressions
+- `bitRotateLeft()` - Rotates all bits in a number left by specified positions
+- `bitRotateRight()` - Rotates all bits in a number right by specified positions
+- `bitShiftLeft()` - Shifts all bits in a number left by specified positions
+- `bitShiftRight()` - Shifts all bits in a number right by specified positions
+- `bitTest()` - Returns the value of a specific bit in a number
+- `bitXor()` - Returns the bitwise exclusive-or of two expressions
+
+[**New mathematical functions:**](https://developers.cloudflare.com/analytics/analytics-engine/sql-reference/mathematical-functions/)
+- `abs()` - Returns the absolute value of a number
+- `log()` - Computes the natural logarithm of a number
+- `round()` - Rounds a number to a specified number of decimal places  
+- `ceil()` - Rounds a number up to the nearest integer
+- `floor()` - Rounds a number down to the nearest integer
+- `pow()` - Returns a number raised to the power of another number
+
+[**New string functions:**](https://developers.cloudflare.com/analytics/analytics-engine/sql-reference/string-functions/)
+- `lowerUTF8()` - Converts a string to lowercase using UTF-8 encoding
+- `upperUTF8()` - Converts a string to uppercase using UTF-8 encoding
+
+[**New encoding functions:**](https://developers.cloudflare.com/analytics/analytics-engine/sql-reference/encoding-functions/)
+- `hex()` - Converts a number to its hexadecimal representation
+- `bin()` - Converts a string to its binary representation 
+
+[**New type conversion functions:**](https://developers.cloudflare.com/analytics/analytics-engine/sql-reference/type-conversion-functions/)
+- `toUInt8()` - Converts any numeric expression, or expression resulting in a string representation of a decimal, into an unsigned 8 bit integer
+
+
+## Ready to get started? 
+Whether you're building usage-based billing systems, customer analytics dashboards, or other custom analytics, these functions let you get the most out of your data. [Get started ](/analytics/analytics-engine/get-started/) with Workers Analytics Engine and explore all available functions in our [SQL reference documentation](/analytics/analytics-engine/sql-reference/).