In SQL what is the outcome of a LEFT JOIN operation

In sql what is the outcome of a left join operation - CompTIA DataSys+ DS0-001

Question

In SQL, what is the outcome of a LEFT JOIN operation?

Answers

It returns only the rows that match in both tables.
correct

It returns all rows from the left table and matched rows from the right table, filling in NULLs for non-matching rows.
It produces a Cartesian product of the two tables.
It returns all rows from the right table and the matched rows from the left table.

Explanation

The Correct Answer is: B. It returns all rows from the left table and matched rows from the right table, filling in NULLs for non-matching rows.
A LEFT JOIN (also called a Left Outer Join) retrieves every row from the left table, regardless of whether there is a matching row in the right table. When a match exists, it combines the data from both tables in the result. If no matching row exists in the right table, the query fills the columns from the right table with NULL values for those rows. This ensures that all records from the left table appear in the output.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. It returns only the rows that match in both tables.
This describes an INNER JOIN, which returns only rows with matching values in both tables.
C. It produces a Cartesian product of the two tables.
This is the behavior of a CROSS JOIN, not a LEFT JOIN.
D. It returns all rows from the right table and the matched rows from the left table.
This describes a RIGHT JOIN, which is the opposite of a LEFT JOIN.