Difference Between Group By Vs Distinct Clause

We can see that both plans are the same because on the back DISTINCT and GROUP BY work similarly if they are not bound by any other clause or aggregate.

GROUP BY Clause

DISTINCT Clause

Used to group rows by one or more columns or expressions and apply aggregate functions

Used to return only the unique values from a column or a set of columns

Can be used without aggregate functions, but not recommended

Simpler and clearer to use when no aggregation is needed

Preserves the order of the rows

May change the order of the rows

Group By Vs Distinct Difference In SQL Server

Distinct is a relational database management system. SQL Server offers a wide range of features and tools that handle different needs, from small-scale applications to large-scale application solutions. GROUP BY has performance features, especially when dealing with large datasets and complex aggregations. DISTINCT is generally more effective and more efficient when the purpose is to obtain unique values.

In this article, we will understand the Group By vs. Distinct Difference In SQL Server with examples and so on.

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Introduction to Group By Vs Distinct Clause

GROUP BY and DISTINCT Clauses both are used to get the unique value from a column or a set of columns. But they are different in the way they are used....

DISTINCT Clause

The DISTINCT Clause gives us the unique value from the column. For example, if we have to find the no. of DISTINCT Departments then we will write the query using the DISTINCT clause....

GROUP BY Clause

GROUP BY Clause is used to group the table based on the value of one or multiple columns and on that group to apply the aggregate functions to find some results....

DISTINCT Clause Vs GROUP BY Clause

Before jumping to difference let’s see the Query execution plan of both clauses in SQL Server....

Difference Between Group By Vs Distinct Clause

We can see that both plans are the same because on the back DISTINCT and GROUP BY work similarly if they are not bound by any other clause or aggregate....

Conclusion

GROUP BY and DISTINCT Clauses are similar clauses when they are used alone but adding aggregation or using any other clause will change the behavior of the query. When we use group alone than in the backend it will convert the query with a DISTINCT clause only. Thus, if the case is to find the unique values then go with DISTINCT, and if you want to calculate something based on the creation of a group then go with GROUP BY Clause....