A View and a Table in a database might look similar at first glance, but they serve different purposes. Think of a Table as the foundation a physical storage of data, like a spreadsheet where you directly input and manage rows of information. It’s where your data actually lives.
A View, on the other hand, is like a smart lens or shortcut. It doesn’t store data itself but acts as a virtual table. It pulls information dynamically from one or more tables based on specific criteria. For example, you could create a view to show only “active customers” from a larger customer table.
The beauty of a view is its ability to simplify complex queries, enhance security (by restricting what data users can see), and reduce repetition in your SQL code. While a table is the solid structure, a view is the polished window showing exactly what you need to see.