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Difference Between Natural Join and Inner Join in SQL
The Structured Query Language (SQL) is widely used in databases to manipulate and manage data. When working with multiple tables we often need to combine or join data to retrieve meaningful information. The Two common types of joins used for this purpose are the Natural Join and the Inner Join. While both the join operations are used to combine data from two or more tables they have some differences in how they work. This article explores these differences in detail.
What is an Inner Join?
An Inner Join is the most commonly used join operation. It returns only those records where the specified columns from both tables have matching values. If no match is found between the tables the result set will not include those rows.
Syntax
Following are the syntax of Inner Join
SELECT columns FROM table1 INNER JOIN table2 ON table1.column = table2.column;
Characteristics of Inner Join
Following are the characteristics of Inner Join
- Explicit Join Condition: Requires a condition specified in the ON clause.
- Matching Rows: The Returns only the rows where there is a match in both the tables.
- Control: Offers more control over which columns to join on.
What is a Natural Join?
A Natural Join is a type of join that automatically joins tables based on the columns with the same name and compatible data types in both tables. It eliminates the need to specify a join condition explicitly.
Syntax
Following are the syntax of Natural Join
SELECT columns FROM table1 NATURAL JOIN table2;
Characteristics of Natural Join
Following are the characteristics of Natural Join
- Automatic Join Condition: Automatically identifies and joins columns with the same name.
- No Duplicate Columns: Does not include duplicate columns in the result set.
- Simpler Syntax: Requires less code but can lead to unintended results if columns have the same name but different data.
Difference Between InnerJoin & NaturalJoin
Following are the key differences between InnerJoin and NaturalJoin -
| Criteria | Inner Join | Natural Join |
|---|---|---|
| Join Condition | Requires an explicit condition using the ON clause. | Automatically matches columns with the same name. |
| Column Selection | Requires the user to Specify which columns to compare. | Automatically detects columns with the same name. |
| Duplicate Columns | May return duplicate columns In the result set. | Does not return duplicate columns. |
| Control | Offers more control over the Join Operation. | Less control, as it depends on column names. |
| Risk Errors | Less risk if columns are explicitly specified. | Higher risk if unintended columns share the same name. |
Conclusion
Both Natural Join and Inner Join are useful SQL operations that allow the combination of data from multiple tables, but they differ in their approach to join conditions. Inner Join offers more flexibility and control, making it the safer choice for complex queries. Natural Join is suitable when dealing with tables that have a straightforward structure with consistently named columns.
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