In SQL, `GROUP BY` and `ORDER BY` are crucial clauses used to manipulate data within a query. They are often used together, but they perform distinct functions. `GROUP BY` is used to aggregate data, creating summary rows based on shared values in one or more columns. `ORDER BY`, on the other hand, sorts the entire result set based on the values in one or more columns, making the output easier to read and analyze. Understanding the difference between these clauses is essential for effectively querying and analyzing data in a relational database.Imagine you have a table of customer orders. `GROUP BY` could be used to find the total revenue generated by each product category. `ORDER BY` could then be used to sort these results from highest to lowest revenue, making it easy to identify the most profitable product categories. `GROUP BY` is about summarizing data, while `ORDER BY` is about arranging it.Another key distinction is that `GROUP BY` must be used with aggregate functions (like `SUM`, `AVG`, `COUNT`, `MAX`, `MIN`) to perform calculations on the grouped data. `ORDER BY` doesn't require aggregate functions; it simply sorts the rows based on their values.Finally, `GROUP BY` often comes before `ORDER BY` in a query. This is because the grouping operation happens first, and then the sorted results are presented. The order of these clauses matters, as the sorting is performed on the grouped data.