What is DISTINCT used for in SQL queries?

Parthiban Kannan

Updated on January 8, 2026

< 1 min read

DISTINCT is used to remove duplicate values from query results.
It ensures each returned row or value is unique.
This is helpful when tables contain repeated records.
In my project, we used DISTINCT to get a unique list of customers.
It helped avoid double-counting in summary reports.
DISTINCT is often used with SELECT on specific columns.
It improves accuracy in analytical queries.