What is the difference between view and table in SQL?

To understand the difference between view and table, we should know that, what is a table? and what is a view?

What is a table?

A table is a simple form of data storage in the form of row and column. In SQL we create a table with a specified number of the column and then we can store data in multiple rows based on our requirement. After storing data in the table we can update, delete, insert, retrieve data. This means we can say a table is like a physical entity on which we can perform multiple operations like insert, update, delete, select, etc.

What is a view?

A view is nothing more than a saved SQL query. A view can also be considered as a virtual table. Or in other words, a view is just a SELECT statement that has been saved in the database. Without table view is nothing, In SQL view is created on the table. 

• In the view, we join two or more tables with join and select statements.
• After executing view it returns a virtual table, now we can use this virtual table for various data operations.
• In SQL when we need to work on large data then view plays a very important role.
• Operations performed on view data does not impact the actual table's data.
• In those conditions when we need select statement many times, we create a view and this solves that problem.

Difference between view and table

• Table stores the data in the database and contains the data whereas View is a virtual table based on the result-set of an SQL statement and that is Stored in the database with some name.
• Operations like delete, update, insert performed on a table directly impact actual table data whereas operation performed on view data does not impact actual table data.
• A SQL a table has direct or physical relation with the database whereas in view there is not any direct or physical relation with the database.

It is good practice to use view instead of sending the complex query to the database all the time, we should save the query as a view and latter we should use select query like SELECT * FROM view_name