Q:

What does "select count(1) from table_name" on any database tables mean?

When we execute select count(*) from table_name it returns the number of rows.
What does count(1) do? What does 1 signify here? Is this the same as count(*) (as it gives the same result on execution)?

A:

The parameter to the COUNT function is an expression that is to be evaluated for each row. The COUNT function returns the number of rows for which the expression evaluates to a non-null value. ( * is a special expression that is not evaluated, it simply returns the number of rows.)
There are two additional modifiers for the expression: ALL and DISTINCT. These determine whether duplicates are discarded. Since ALL is the default, your example is the same as count(ALL 1), which means that duplicates are retained.
Since the expression "1" evaluates to non-null for every row, and since you are not removing duplicates, COUNT(1) should always return the same number as COUNT(*).

A:

Here is a link that will help answer your questions. In short:

count(*) is the correct way to write
  it and count(1) is OPTIMIZED TO BE
  count(*)  internally -- since 
a) count the rows where 1 is not null
  is less efficient than
  b) count the rows

A:

Difference between count(*) and count(1) in oracle?
count(*) means it will count all records i.e each and every cell
BUT
count(1) means it will add one pseudo column with value 1 and returns count of all records

