What Does Outer Join Mean?

An outer join in SQL is a specific kind of query construction that deliberately allows for a wider array of results. The process of building specific queries in SQL to get database results is a highly technical one, and an outer join is an example of a type of detail learned and utilized by database researchers.

Techopedia Explains Outer Join

Someone who is writing a query can use a left or right outer join to include table results that only have a given component, rather than requiring multiple components to be present. A left outer join includes all rows in a table regardless of whether a specifically positioned column has results or not. By contrast, an inner join requires both components to be present.