DISTINCT Clause Vs GROUP BY Clause
Before jumping to difference let’s see the Query execution plan of both clauses in SQL Server.
Query:
SELECT DISTINCT Department
FROM employee
GO
SELECT Department
FROM employee
GROUP BY Department
GO
Output:
Query Execution Plan
Explanation: The result set of both queries would be the same and now let’s look at the Execution Plan.
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.