What is the difference between INNER JOIN and OUTER JOIN in MySQL?

What is the difference between INNER JOIN and OUTER JOIN in MySQL?

INNER JOIN and OUTER JOIN are types of joins in MySQL used to link tables together based on a related column between them. The main difference between INNER JOIN and OUTER JOIN is that INNER JOIN only returns rows when there is a match in both tables, while OUTER JOIN returns all rows from at least one of the tables being joined, even if there is no match in the other table.

INNER JOIN Syntax:

SELECT column_name(s)
FROM table1
INNER JOIN table2
ON table1.column_name = table2.column_name;

OUTER JOIN Syntax:

SELECT column_name(s)
FROM table1
LEFT JOIN table2
ON table1.column_name = table2.column_name;

In INNER JOIN, the result set will only contain rows where there is a match in both tables, while in OUTER JOIN, the result set will include all rows from one table, even if there is no match in the other table. OUTER JOIN can be further classified into LEFT JOIN, RIGHT JOIN, and FULL JOIN depending on which table's rows are included in the result set.

Overall, understanding the differences between INNER JOIN and OUTER JOIN in MySQL is essential for effectively querying and combining data from multiple tables.