What does the join operation accomplish when applied to two tables?

The join operation is fundamentally designed to connect rows from two or more tables based on a related column, often referred to as a shared field or key. This mechanism enables the establishment of relationships between different datasets, allowing for comprehensive data analysis and retrieval. When the join operation is utilized, it correlates records from one table to another, ensuring that only the rows that satisfy the join condition are included in the resulting dataset.

For instance, consider two tables: one containing patient information and another containing treatment records. By joining these tables on the patient ID, one can assemble a singular view that reveals which treatments each patient has received. This ability to associate records not only enhances data integrity but also supports complex queries and reporting, making it a crucial operation in relational database management.

The other options present various aspects of data manipulation but do not accurately describe the core purpose of the join operation, which is specifically about the association of records based on a common attribute.