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EXCEPT keeps rows found only in the first result

EXCEPT compares two SELECT results and keeps rows from the first result that do not appear in the second. The order matters: swapping the two SELECT statements changes the answer. Both sides must return the same number of compatible columns.

A tiny example

In plain English: Show me the titles on the reading list that I have not finished.

SELECT title
FROM reading_list
EXCEPT
SELECT title
FROM finished_books;

What comes back

title
Wool
Piranesi

Wool and Piranesi are on the reading list but not in finished_books.

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