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.

Example 1: Number of Employees in Each Deparment Using GROUP BY Clause

If We Have to Find the Employees in Each Department Then We Can Use GROUP BY Clause.

Query:

SELECT Department, COUNT(*)  AS Count
FROM employee
GROUP BY Department;

Output:

No. of Employee in Each Department

Explanation: Similarly, if we have to find the SUM of salary given to each department or the maximum salary given to the department then we can do this very easily using GROUP BY Clause.

Example 2: Total Salary and Maximum Salary with Department

Let’s calculate the total salary of employees and also find the maximum salary along with the department grouped by Department.

Query:

SELECT Department, SUM(Salary) AS Total_Salary
FROM employee
GROUP BY Department
GO;


SELECT Department, MAX(Salary) AS Maximum_Salary
FROM employee
GROUP BY Department
GO;

Output:

Output

Explanation: GROUP BY clause is always used with aggregate functions and it is used to generate the result from those groups.

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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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....

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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

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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....