25/3/2016

SQL:Joins

WithouttheadvertisementsonthiswebsitewewouldnotbeabletoofferTechOnTheNet.com.
PleasesupportusbywhitelistingTechOnTheNet.cominyouradblockingsoftware.
Youcanfindoutmoreabouthowweuseadvertisementshere.

SQL:JOINS
ThisSQLtutorialexplainshowtouseSQLjoinswithsyntax,visualillustrations,and
examples.

DESCRIPTION
SQLJOINSareusedtoretrievedatafrommultipletables.ASQLJOINisperformedwhenever
twoormoretablesarejoinedinaSQLstatement.
Thereare4differenttypesofSQLjoins:
SQLINNERJOIN(orsometimescalledsimplejoin)
SQLLEFTOUTERJOIN(orsometimescalledLEFTJOIN)
SQLRIGHTOUTERJOIN(orsometimescalledRIGHTJOIN)
SQLFULLOUTERJOIN(orsometimescalledFULLJOIN)
Solet'sdiscussSQLJOINsyntax,lookatvisualillustrationsofSQLJOINS,andexploreSQL
JOINexamples.

SQLINNERJOIN(SIMPLEJOIN)
Chancesare,you'vealreadywrittenaSQLstatementthatusesanSQLINNERJOIN.Itisthe
mostcommontypeofSQLjoin.SQLINNERJOINSreturnallrowsfrommultipletableswhere
thejoinconditionismet.

Syntax
ThesyntaxfortheSQLINNERJOINis:
SELECTcolumns
FROMtable1
INNERJOINtable2
ONtable1.column=table2.column;

VisualIllustration

http://www.techonthenet.com/sql/joins.php

1/10

25/3/2016

SQL:Joins

VisualIllustration
Inthisvisualdiagram,theSQLINNERJOINreturnstheshadedarea:

TheSQLINNERJOINwouldreturntherecordswheretable1andtable2intersect.

Example
HereisanexampleofaSQLINNERJOIN:
SELECTs.supplier_id,s.supplier_name,od.order_date
FROMsuppliersASs
INNERJOINorder_detailsASod
ONs.supplier_id=od.supplier_id;

ThisSQLINNERJOINexamplewouldreturnallrowsfromthesuppliersandorderstables
wherethereisamatchingsupplier_idvalueinboththesuppliersandorderstables.
Let'slookatsomedatatoexplainhowtheINNERJOINSwork:
Wehaveatablecalledsupplierswithtwofields(supplier_idandsupplier_name).Itcontains
thefollowingdata:
supplier_id

supplier_name

10000

IBM

10001

HewlettPackard

10002

Microsoft

10003

NVIDIA

Wehaveanothertablecalledorderswiththreefields(order_id,supplier_id,andorder_date).It
containsthefollowingdata:
order_id

supplier_id

order_date

500125

10000

2003/05/12

http://www.techonthenet.com/sql/joins.php

2/10

25/3/2016

SQL:Joins

500126

10001

2003/05/13

500127

10004

2003/05/14

IfweruntheSQLstatement(thatcontainsanINNERJOIN)below:
SELECTsuppliers.supplier_id,suppliers.supplier_name,orders.order_date
FROMsuppliers
INNERJOINorders
ONsuppliers.supplier_id=orders.supplier_id;

Ourresultsetwouldlooklikethis:
supplier_id

name

order_date

10000

IBM

2003/05/12

10001

HewlettPackard

2003/05/13

TherowsforMicrosoftandNVIDIAfromthesuppliertablewouldbeomitted,sincethe
supplier_id's10002and10003donotexistinbothtables.Therowfor500127(order_id)from
theorderstablewouldbeomitted,sincethesupplier_id10004doesnotexistinthesuppliers
table.

OldSyntax
Asafinalnote,itisworthmentioningthattheSQLINNERJOINexampleabovecouldbe
rewrittenusingtheolderimplicitsyntaxasfollows(butwestillrecommendusingtheINNER
JOINkeywordsyntax):
SELECTsuppliers.supplier_id,suppliers.supplier_name,orders.order_date
FROMsuppliers,orders
WHEREsuppliers.supplier_id=orders.supplier_id;

SQLLEFTOUTERJOIN
AnothertypeofjoiniscalledaLEFTOUTERJOIN.Thistypeofjoinreturnsallrowsfromthe
LEFThandtablespecifiedintheONconditionandonlythoserowsfromtheothertablewhere
thejoinedfieldsareequal(joinconditionismet).

Syntax
ThesyntaxfortheSQLLEFTOUTERJOINis:
http://www.techonthenet.com/sql/joins.php

3/10

25/3/2016

SQL:Joins

SELECTcolumns
FROMtable1
LEFT[OUTER]JOINtable2
ONtable1.column=table2.column;

Insomedatabases,theLEFTOUTERJOINkeywordsarereplacedwithLEFTJOIN.

VisualIllustration
Inthisvisualdiagram,theSQLLEFTOUTERJOINreturnstheshadedarea:

TheSQLLEFTOUTERJOINwouldreturntheallrecordsfromtable1andonlythoserecords
fromtable2thatintersectwithtable1.

Example
HereisanexampleofaSQLLEFTOUTERJOIN:
SELECTsuppliers.supplier_id,suppliers.supplier_name,orders.order_date
FROMsuppliers
LEFTOUTERJOINorders
ONsuppliers.supplier_id=orders.supplier_id;

ThisLEFTOUTERJOINexamplewouldreturnallrowsfromthesupplierstableandonlythose
rowsfromtheorderstablewherethejoinedfieldsareequal.
Ifasupplier_idvalueinthesupplierstabledoesnotexistintheorderstable,allfieldsinthe
orderstablewilldisplayas<null>intheresultset.
Let'slookatsomedatatoexplainhowLEFTOUTERJOINSwork:
Wehaveatablecalledsupplierswithtwofields(supplier_idandsupplier_name).Itcontains
thefollowingdata:
supplier_id

supplier_name

10000

IBM

http://www.techonthenet.com/sql/joins.php

4/10

25/3/2016

SQL:Joins

10001

HewlettPackard

10002

Microsoft

10003

NVIDIA

Wehaveasecondtablecalledorderswiththreefields(order_id,supplier_id,andorder_date).
Itcontainsthefollowingdata:
order_id

supplier_id

order_date

500125

10000

2003/05/12

500126

10001

2003/05/13

IfweruntheSQLstatement(thatcontainsaLEFTOUTERJOIN)below:
SELECTsuppliers.supplier_id,suppliers.supplier_name,orders.order_date
FROMsuppliers
LEFTOUTERJOINorders
ONsuppliers.supplier_id=orders.supplier_id;

Ourresultsetwouldlooklikethis:
supplier_id

supplier_name

order_date

10000

IBM

2003/05/12

10001

HewlettPackard

2003/05/13

10002

Microsoft

<null>

10003

NVIDIA

<null>

TherowsforMicrosoftandNVIDIAwouldbeincludedbecauseaLEFTOUTERJOINwas
used.However,youwillnoticethattheorder_datefieldforthoserecordscontainsa<null>
value.

OldSyntax
Asafinalnote,itisworthmentioningthattheLEFTOUTERJOINexampleabovecouldbe
rewrittenusingtheolderimplicitsyntaxthatutilizestheouterjoinoperator(+)asfollows(but
westillrecommendusingtheLEFTOUTERJOINkeywordsyntax):

http://www.techonthenet.com/sql/joins.php

5/10

25/3/2016

SQL:Joins

SELECTsuppliers.supplier_id,suppliers.supplier_name,orders.order_date
FROMsuppliers,orders
WHEREsuppliers.supplier_id=orders.supplier_id(+);

SQLRIGHTOUTERJOIN
AnothertypeofjoiniscalledaSQLRIGHTOUTERJOIN.Thistypeofjoinreturnsallrows
fromtheRIGHThandtablespecifiedintheONconditionandonlythoserowsfromtheother
tablewherethejoinedfieldsareequal(joinconditionismet).

Syntax
ThesyntaxfortheSQLRIGHTOUTERJOINis:
SELECTcolumns
FROMtable1
RIGHT[OUTER]JOINtable2
ONtable1.column=table2.column;

Insomedatabases,theRIGHTOUTERJOINkeywordsarereplacedwithRIGHTJOIN.

VisualIllustration
Inthisvisualdiagram,theSQLRIGHTOUTERJOINreturnstheshadedarea:

TheSQLRIGHTOUTERJOINwouldreturntheallrecordsfromtable2andonlythoserecords
fromtable1thatintersectwithtable2.

Example
HereisanexampleofaSQLRIGHTOUTERJOIN:

http://www.techonthenet.com/sql/joins.php

6/10

25/3/2016

SQL:Joins

SELECTorders.order_id,orders.order_date,suppliers.supplier_name
FROMsuppliers
RIGHTOUTERJOINorders
ONsuppliers.supplier_id=orders.supplier_id;

ThisRIGHTOUTERJOINexamplewouldreturnallrowsfromtheorderstableandonlythose
rowsfromthesupplierstablewherethejoinedfieldsareequal.
Ifasupplier_idvalueintheorderstabledoesnotexistinthesupplierstable,allfieldsinthe
supplierstablewilldisplayas<null>intheresultset.
Let'slookatsomedatatoexplainhowRIGHTOUTERJOINSwork:
Wehaveatablecalledsupplierswithtwofields(supplier_idandsupplier_name).Itcontains
thefollowingdata:
supplier_id

supplier_name

10000

Apple

10001

Google

Wehaveasecondtablecalledorderswiththreefields(order_id,supplier_id,andorder_date).
Itcontainsthefollowingdata:
order_id

supplier_id

order_date

500125

10000

2013/08/12

500126

10001

2013/08/13

500127

10002

2013/08/14

IfweruntheSQLstatement(thatcontainsaRIGHTOUTERJOIN)below:
SELECTorders.order_id,orders.order_date,suppliers.supplier_name
FROMsuppliers
RIGHTOUTERJOINorders
ONsuppliers.supplier_id=orders.supplier_id;

Ourresultsetwouldlooklikethis:
order_id

order_date

supplier_name

500125

2013/08/12

Apple

500126

2013/08/13

Google

http://www.techonthenet.com/sql/joins.php

7/10

25/3/2016

500127

SQL:Joins

2013/08/14

<null>

Therowfor500127(order_id)wouldbeincludedbecauseaRIGHTOUTERJOINwasused.
However,youwillnoticethatthesupplier_namefieldforthatrecordcontainsa<null>value.

OldSyntax
Asafinalnote,itisworthmentioningthattheRIGHTOUTERJOINexampleabovecouldbe
rewrittenusingtheolderimplicitsyntaxthatutilizestheouterjoinoperator(+)asfollows(but
westillrecommendusingtheRIGHTOUTERJOINkeywordsyntax):
SELECTorders.order_id,orders.order_date,suppliers.supplier_name
FROMsuppliers,orders
WHEREsuppliers.supplier_id(+)=orders.supplier_id;

SQLFULLOUTERJOIN
AnothertypeofjoiniscalledaSQLFULLOUTERJOIN.Thistypeofjoinreturnsallrowsfrom
theLEFThandtableandRIGHThandtablewithnullsinplacewherethejoinconditionisnot
met.

Syntax
ThesyntaxfortheSQLFULLOUTERJOINis:
SELECTcolumns
FROMtable1
FULL[OUTER]JOINtable2
ONtable1.column=table2.column;

Insomedatabases,theFULLOUTERJOINkeywordsarereplacedwithFULLJOIN.

VisualIllustration
Inthisvisualdiagram,theSQLFULLOUTERJOINreturnstheshadedarea:

http://www.techonthenet.com/sql/joins.php

8/10

25/3/2016

SQL:Joins

TheSQLFULLOUTERJOINwouldreturntheallrecordsfrombothtable1andtable2.

Example
HereisanexampleofaSQLFULLOUTERJOIN:
SELECTsuppliers.supplier_id,suppliers.supplier_name,orders.order_date
FROMsuppliers
FULLOUTERJOINorders
ONsuppliers.supplier_id=orders.supplier_id;

ThisFULLOUTERJOINexamplewouldreturnallrowsfromthesupplierstableandallrows
fromtheorderstableandwheneverthejoinconditionisnotmet,<nulls>wouldbeextendedto
thosefieldsintheresultset.
Ifasupplier_idvalueinthesupplierstabledoesnotexistintheorderstable,allfieldsinthe
orderstablewilldisplayas<null>intheresultset.Ifasupplier_idvalueintheorderstable
doesnotexistinthesupplierstable,allfieldsinthesupplierstablewilldisplayas<null>inthe
resultset.
Let'slookatsomedatatoexplainhowFULLOUTERJOINSwork:
Wehaveatablecalledsupplierswithtwofields(supplier_idandsupplier_name).Itcontains
thefollowingdata:
supplier_id

supplier_name

10000

IBM

10001

HewlettPackard

10002

Microsoft

10003

NVIDIA

Wehaveasecondtablecalledorderswiththreefields(order_id,supplier_id,andorder_date).
Itcontainsthefollowingdata:
order_id

supplier_id

http://www.techonthenet.com/sql/joins.php

order_date
9/10

25/3/2016

SQL:Joins

500125

10000

2013/08/12

500126

10001

2013/08/13

500127

10004

2013/08/14

IfweruntheSQLstatement(thatcontainsaFULLOUTERJOIN)below:
SELECTsuppliers.supplier_id,suppliers.supplier_name,orders.order_date
FROMsuppliers
FULLOUTERJOINorders
ONsuppliers.supplier_id=orders.supplier_id;

Ourresultsetwouldlooklikethis:
supplier_id

supplier_name

order_date

10000

IBM

2013/08/12

10001

HewlettPackard

2013/08/13

10002

Microsoft

<null>

10003

NVIDIA

<null>

<null>

<null>

2013/08/14

TherowsforMicrosoftandNVIDIAwouldbeincludedbecauseaFULLOUTERJOINwas
used.However,youwillnoticethattheorder_datefieldforthoserecordscontainsa<null>
value.
Therowforsupplier_id10004wouldbealsoincludedbecauseaFULLOUTERJOINwas
used.However,youwillnoticethatthesupplier_idandsupplier_namefieldforthoserecords
containa<null>value.

OldSyntax
Asafinalnote,itisworthmentioningthattheFULLOUTERJOINexampleabovecouldnot
havebeenwrittenintheoldsyntaxwithoutusingaUNIONquery.
CopyrightTechOnTheNet.com

http://www.techonthenet.com/sql/joins.php

10/10