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👉 “SQL Joins Explained Like You’re 5 (Interview-Friendly Guide)”

Intro:
If SQL joins confuse you during interviews, you’re not alone.
Many developers struggle with INNER JOIN, LEFT JOIN, RIGHT JOIN, and FULL JOIN.
Let’s simplify them with an analogy so you’ll never forget again.

🔹 Tables as Families

Imagine two tables as two families:

Table A = Mom’s family

Table B = Dad’s family

Now, a “JOIN” is simply asking: “Who from these two families should sit together at the dinner table?” 🍽️

🔸 INNER JOIN

Keep only the relatives that exist in both families.
👉 “People who are in both mom’s and dad’s family lists.”

🔸 LEFT JOIN

Take everyone from Mom’s family (Table A) + add matching members from Dad’s family.
👉 If someone from Mom’s family has no match, they still get a seat.

🔸 RIGHT JOIN

The reverse of LEFT JOIN.
Take all of Dad’s family (Table B) + add matching members from Mom’s family.

🔸 FULL JOIN

Invite everyone from both families.
👉 Even if some don’t have a match, they still show up at the dinner table.

🔥 Interview Perspective

INNER JOIN = most commonly used

LEFT JOIN = useful when primary table is main focus

FULL JOIN = often asked to check conceptual clarity

Be ready to draw Venn diagrams in interviews

âś… Quick Recap Table
JOIN Type Who Gets Invited
INNER JOIN Only common members
LEFT JOIN All from Table A + matches from B
RIGHT JOIN All from Table B + matches from A
FULL JOIN Everyone from both tables

👉 Call to Action:
Want full SQL interview prep with diagrams, tricky queries, and practice questions?
Check out:
FullStackPrep.dev – SQL Interview Guide

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