Which clause is evaluated first in a SQL query, where groupings are involved?

In SQL queries that involve grouping, the WHERE clause is evaluated first before any grouping takes place. This clause is used to filter records from the database table before any aggregations are applied. It allows you to specify conditions that must be met for rows to be included in the final result set.

After the WHERE clause is processed, the GROUP BY clause is then evaluated to group those filtered rows based on the specified columns. Only after this grouping is completed can aggregate functions be applied to the grouped data, which is where the HAVING clause comes into play to filter on those aggregated results.

Finally, the ORDER BY clause is evaluated last to sort the final output of the query based on specified columns.

Understanding the sequence in which these clauses are processed is crucial for constructing effective SQL queries, particularly when dealing with large datasets and complex conditions.