Joining two tables on a common column

Oct 13, 2025 by pynkocean.com 134 views

Introduction

In this article, we will discuss how to select two tables and print the columns side by side with matching key in Hive. Hive is a data warehousing and SQL-like query language tool to process large data sets in Hadoop. It allows users to write complex queries and get the results in a structured format.

Problem Statement

We have two tables, table_1 and table_2, with the following data:

table_1

+--------+-----+--------+
| name_1 | id_1| value_1|
+--------+-----+--------+
| avi    | 1  | 21     |
| adi    | 2  | X      |
+--------+-----+--------+

table_2

+--------+-----+--------+
| name_2 | id_2| value_2|
+--------+-----+--------+
| avi    | 1  | 21     |
| adi    | 2  | 22     |
+--------+-----+--------+

We want to select these two tables and print the columns side by side with matching key.

Solution

To solve this problem, we can use the JOIN clause in Hive. The JOIN clause is used to combine rows from two or more tables based on a related column between them.

Here is the Hive query to select the two tables and print the columns side by side with matching key:

SELECT 
  t1.name_1, 
  t1.id_1, 
  t1.value_1, 
  t2.name_2, 
  t2.id_2, 
  t2.value_2
FROM 
  table_1 t1
  JOIN table_2 t2 ON t1.id_1 = t2.id_2;

Explanation

In the above query, we are selecting the columns name_1, id_1, value_1 from table_1 and name_2, id_2, value_2 from table_2. We are joining these two tables on the id_1 column of table_1 and id_2 column of table_2.

Result

The result of the above query will be:

+--------+-----+--------+--------+-----+--------+
| name_1 | id_1| value_1| name_2 | id_2| value_2|
+--------+-----+--------+--------+-----+--------+
| avi    | 1  | 21     | avi    | 1  | 21     |
| adi    | 2  | X      | adi    | 2  | 22     |
+--------+-----+--------+--------+-----+--------+

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed how to select two tables and print the columns side by side with matching key in Hive. We used the JOIN clause to combine rows from two or more tables based on a related column between them. The result of the query will be the columns of the two tables printed side by side with matching key.

Metadata Information

The metadata information can be read from the following sources:

Hive Metastore: The Hive metastore is a database that stores the metadata of the Hive tables. It can be accessed using the Hive CLI or the Hive API.
HDFS: The HDFS (Hadoop Distributed File System) is a distributed file system that stores the data of the Hive tables. It can be accessed using the HDFS CLI or the HDFS API.
Hive Query Language: The Hive Query Language is a SQL-like query language that can be used to query the Hive tables. It can be accessed using the Hive CLI or the Hive API.

Example Use Cases

Here are some example use cases of the JOIN clause in Hive:

Joining two tables on a common column: We can use the JOIN clause to join two tables on a common column. For example, we can join the table_1 and table_2 tables on the id_1 column of table_1 and the id_2 column of table_2.
Joining multiple tables on multiple columns: We can use the JOIN clause to join multiple tables on multiple columns. For example, we can join the table_1, table_2, and table_3 tables on the id_1 column of table_1, the id_2 column of table_2, and the id_3 column of table_3.
Joining tables on non-key columns: We can use the JOIN clause to join tables on non-key columns. For example, we can join the table_1 and table_2 tables on the name_1 column of table_1 and the name_2 column of table_2.

Best Practices

Here are some best practices to keep in mind when using the JOIN clause in Hive:

Use the JOIN clause to join tables on a common column: The JOIN clause should be used to join tables on a common column. This ensures that the join is performed on a unique key and reduces the risk of duplicate rows.
Use the ON clause to specify the join condition: The ON clause should be used to specify the join condition. This ensures that the join is performed on the correct column and reduces the risk of errors.
Use the USING clause to specify the join condition: The USING clause can be used to specify the join condition. This is useful when the join condition is the same for all columns.
Use the CROSS JOIN clause to perform a cross join: The CROSS JOIN clause can be used to perform a cross join. This is useful when we want to combine each row of one table with each row of another table.
Q&A: Select Two Tables and Print the Columns Side by Side with Matching Key in Hive ====================================================================================

Q: What is the purpose of the `JOIN` clause in Hive?

A: The JOIN clause in Hive is used to combine rows from two or more tables based on a related column between them. It allows us to select data from multiple tables and print the columns side by side with matching key.

Q: How do I use the `JOIN` clause in Hive?

A: To use the JOIN clause in Hive, you need to specify the tables to be joined, the join condition, and the columns to be selected. The basic syntax of the JOIN clause is as follows:

SELECT 
  column1, 
  column2, 
  ...
FROM 
  table1
  JOIN table2 ON table1.column = table2.column;

Q: What are the different types of joins in Hive?

A: There are several types of joins in Hive, including:

INNER JOIN: This type of join returns only the rows that have a match in both tables.
LEFT JOIN: This type of join returns all the rows from the left table and the matching rows from the right table. If there is no match, the result is NULL.
RIGHT JOIN: This type of join returns all the rows from the right table and the matching rows from the left table. If there is no match, the result is NULL.
FULL OUTER JOIN: This type of join returns all the rows from both tables, with NULL values in the columns where there is no match.

Q: How do I perform a cross join in Hive?

A: To perform a cross join in Hive, you can use the CROSS JOIN clause. The basic syntax of the CROSS JOIN clause is as follows:

SELECT 
  column1, 
  column2, 
  ...
FROM 
  table1
  CROSS JOIN table2;

Q: What are the best practices for using the `JOIN` clause in Hive?

A: Here are some best practices to keep in mind when using the JOIN clause in Hive:

Use the JOIN clause to join tables on a common column: The JOIN clause should be used to join tables on a common column. This ensures that the join is performed on a unique key and reduces the risk of duplicate rows.
Use the ON clause to specify the join condition: The ON clause should be used to specify the join condition. This ensures that the join is performed on the correct column and reduces the risk of errors.
Use the USING clause to specify the join condition: The USING clause can be used to specify the join condition. This is useful when the join condition is the same for all columns.
Use the CROSS JOIN clause to perform a cross join: The CROSS JOIN clause can be used to perform a cross join. This is useful when we want to combine each row of one table with each row of another table.

Q: What are some common errors to avoid when using the `JOIN` clause in Hive?

A: Here are some common errors to avoid when using the JOIN clause in Hive:

Using the wrong join type: Make sure to use the correct join type (INNER JOIN, LEFT JOIN, RIGHT JOIN, or FULL OUTER JOIN) based on the requirements of your query.
Specifying the wrong join condition: Make sure to specify the correct join condition using the ON or USING clause.
Not using the CROSS JOIN clause for cross joins: Make sure to use the CROSS JOIN clause when performing a cross join.
Not optimizing the query: Make sure to optimize the query by using indexes, partitioning, and other techniques to improve performance.

Q: How do I troubleshoot issues with the `JOIN` clause in Hive?

A: Here are some steps to troubleshoot issues with the JOIN clause in Hive:

Check the query syntax: Make sure the query syntax is correct and follows the Hive syntax rules.
Check the join condition: Make sure the join condition is correct and specifies the correct columns.
Check the join type: Make sure the join type is correct and matches the requirements of the query.
Check the data: Make sure the data is correct and matches the requirements of the query.
Check the performance: Make sure the query is optimized and performs well.

Q: What are some advanced topics related to the `JOIN` clause in Hive?

A: Here are some advanced topics related to the JOIN clause in Hive:

Using subqueries with the JOIN clause: You can use subqueries with the JOIN clause to perform complex joins.
Using window functions with the JOIN clause: You can use window functions with the JOIN clause to perform complex aggregations.
Using Common Table Expressions (CTEs) with the JOIN clause: You can use CTEs with the JOIN clause to perform complex joins.
Using data types with the JOIN clause: You can use data types with the JOIN clause to perform complex joins.

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed the JOIN clause in Hive and how to use it to combine rows from two or more tables based on a related column between them. We also discussed some best practices and common errors to avoid when using the JOIN clause in Hive. Additionally, we covered some advanced topics related to the JOIN clause in Hive.