Joining tables using INNER JOIN.

By Alan Hylands — 2 minute read

How do we join data tables?

We link tables together using fields in the tables known as "KEYS". Each table should have a field (or collection of fields) which operates as a unique identifier. This is known as a PRIMARY key.

To join to another table we also need a FOREIGN key. A FOREIGN key is a field or collection of fields which corresponds to a PRIMARY key in another table.

The INNER JOIN.

The INNER JOIN (also known simply as JOIN) lets us join together two tables and only bring back all records in both where the PRIMARY and FOREIGN keys match. We join ON the PRIMARY key in the parent table and the FOREIGN key in the child table.

e.g.

SELECT *

FROM Movies 

INNER JOIN Actors 

ON Movies.ActorID = Actors.ActorID;

This will return all rows and columns from both the Movies table and the Actors table but only if there is an Actor in the Actors table that is also in the Movies table.

There MUST be a matching connection to return the record. If not we won't get it back.

Quiz Time.

The Question.

Let's put together some of our favourite Marvel movies with the name of the actor who played the lead role in them.

We only want connections where there is a matching connection in both tables though so it'll be the INNER JOIN we are using.

The Data.

The Editor.


Run SQL


Show Answer

The Answer.

Correct SQL:

                    SELECT * FROM movies INNER JOIN actors ON movies.lead_actor_id = actors.actor_id

Correct Output:

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