What are SQL joins primarily used for?

SQL joins are primarily used to combine rows from two or more tables based on related columns. This is a fundamental operation in relational database management systems that allows for the linking of data spread across multiple tables, which is essential for normalizing databases and ensuring data integrity.

When you utilize joins, you can retrieve and manipulate data that is interconnected through foreign keys or other relational constraints. For instance, when querying a database for records that need to reference another table—such as retrieving customer details along with their associated orders—joins allow you to effectively consolidate this information into a single result set.

This ability to merge data enhances the analytical capabilities of databases, enabling more complex queries that reflect the relationships among data points. Overall, joins play a critical role in data analysis by providing a means to draw comprehensive insights from interconnected datasets.