Difference between Left Join and Inner Join in SQL Databases

When working with SQL databases, it is important to understand the difference between a Left Join and an Inner Join.

Inner Join: An Inner Join in SQL returns only the rows where there is a match between the columns being joined from both tables. In other words, it only includes the rows where the common key exists in both tables.

Left Join: On the other hand, a Left Join in SQL returns all the rows from the left table (the table mentioned first in the query) along with the matching rows from the right table. If there is no match in the right table, NULL values are returned.

So, the main difference between a Left Join and an Inner Join is that while an Inner Join only includes matching rows, a Left Join includes all rows from the left table.

It is important to choose the right type of join based on the specific requirement of the query and the data being queried in order to get the desired results.