concat() vs Group_concat()

🚀 SQL – CONCAT() vs GROUP_CONCAT()

When I started learning SQL, I got confused between CONCAT and GROUP_CONCAT. Both look similar, but their usage is very different. Here’s a simple breakdown with examples 👇

🔹 CONCAT()

Combines column values within the same row.

Example: Joining first_name + last_name → NICK WAHLBERG

Works only at row-level.
📸 (Refer first image)

🔹 GROUP_CONCAT()

Combines values from multiple rows into a single string.

Example: Grouping all cate_id values for each pub_id.

Usually used with GROUP BY.
📸 (Refer second image)

⚡ Key Difference:

Use CONCAT → row-wise string merge.

Use GROUP_CONCAT → row aggregation into one string.

💡 This is a common interview question. Beginners in SQL often confuse these two, so keeping this clear helps in both projects + interviews.

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👉 If you’re learning SQL, what other functions confuse you? Let’s discuss!

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