SQL View Vs Table

What is the difference between a view and a table in SQL?

Views are virtual tables based on SQL queries. They don't store data themselves but display data from one or more tables. Tables store actual data, whereas views are essentially a stored query.

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Description

In SQL, both views and tables are used to organize and access data. However, they differ significantly in how they store and manage data. Tables directly hold the data, while views are essentially stored queries that select data from one or more tables. This means views don't physically store the data; instead, they present a specific subset of data from the underlying tables. Think of a view as a window into a portion of your database. You can perform queries on a view just as you would on a table, but the view's data is derived from the underlying tables. Views are useful for simplifying complex queries and providing different perspectives on the same data. They also improve security by restricting access to specific data subsets. Crucially, changes made to the underlying tables are reflected in the view, making views dynamic and responsive to data modifications. A key difference is that you cannot directly insert, update, or delete data in a view; these operations must be performed on the underlying tables.

Why SQL View Vs Table is important

Views are crucial for simplifying complex queries, improving security by restricting access to specific data subsets, and maintaining data consistency by reflecting changes in underlying tables.

Example Usage


-- Finding unique values in a table
SELECT DISTINCT customer_id
FROM customers;

-- Ensuring uniqueness using a unique constraint
ALTER TABLE products
ADD CONSTRAINT unique_product_name
UNIQUE (product_name);

-- Example of an insert that would fail due to the unique constraint
INSERT INTO products (product_name, price)
VALUES ('Widget', 10.00);

INSERT INTO products (product_name, price)
VALUES ('Widget', 12.00);

-- Example of a query that would return unique values
SELECT DISTINCT product_name, price
FROM products;

Common Mistakes

Trying to insert, update, or delete data directly in a view.
Not understanding that views are virtual and don't store data.
Assuming that changes to a view automatically update the underlying tables.

SQL View Vs Table

What is the difference between a view and a table in SQL?

Description

Why SQL View Vs Table is important

Example Usage

Common Mistakes

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