What is the Difference Between where and having clause in SQL?

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The main difference between the WHERE and HAVING clauses in SQL lies in the way they filter data and their association with the GROUP BY clause. Here are the key differences:

  • WHERE Clause:
  1. Used to filter records from a table based on a specified condition.
  2. Can be used without the GROUP BY clause.
  3. Implements row operations.
  4. Cannot contain aggregate functions.
  5. Can be used with SELECT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements.
  • HAVING Clause:
  1. Used to filter records from the groups based on the given condition.
  2. Can only be used with the GROUP BY clause.
  3. Implements column operations.
  4. Can contain aggregate functions.
  5. Can only be used with the SELECT statement.

In summary, the WHERE clause is used to filter data based on individual row conditions, while the HAVING clause is used to filter data based on aggregated group conditions. The WHERE clause can be used without the GROUP BY clause, whereas the HAVING clause requires the GROUP BY clause to function.

Comparative Table: where vs having clause in SQL

The main difference between the WHERE and HAVING clauses in SQL lies in how they filter data. Here is a comparison between the two:

WHERE Clause HAVING Clause
Applies to individual rows Applies to groups as a whole
Used to filter records from the table or when joining multiple tables Used to filter records from the groups based on the given condition
Can be used without the GROUP BY clause Cannot be used without the GROUP BY clause
Can be used with SELECT, UPDATE, DELETE statements Can only be used with the SELECT statement
Implements row operations Implements column operations
Cannot contain aggregate functions Can contain aggregate functions

In summary, the WHERE clause is used to filter individual rows based on specific conditions, and it can be used without the GROUP BY clause. On the other hand, the HAVING clause is used to filter groups of rows based on the given condition, and it requires the GROUP BY clause for its operation.