What is the difference between a INNER JOIN and a LEFT JOIN in SQL?

What is the difference between a INNER JOIN and a LEFT JOIN in SQL?

When it comes to SQL queries, understanding the difference between an INNER JOIN and a LEFT JOIN is crucial. Both JOINs are used to combine data from two or more tables based on a related column between them, but they operate differently:

INNER JOIN:

An INNER JOIN retrieves rows when there is at least one match found in both tables being joined. It only includes rows that have matching values in both tables based on the specified condition.

LEFT JOIN:

A LEFT JOIN, on the other hand, returns all rows from the left table and the matched rows from the right table. If there is no match found in the right table, NULL values are returned for the columns from the right table. This allows you to retrieve data even if there are no corresponding records in the joined table.

Overall, the choice between an INNER JOIN and a LEFT JOIN depends on the specific requirements of the query and the desired outcome in terms of joined data retrieval.

For more insights on SQL JOINs and their differences, stay tuned for our upcoming blog posts!