Which SQL statement is most commonly used for retrieving data?

The most commonly used SQL statement for retrieving data is the SELECT statement. This command allows users to query a database and extract specific information from one or more tables. Through various clauses, such as WHERE, ORDER BY, and GROUP BY, users can refine their queries to obtain only the relevant data they need, applying conditions, sorting, and aggregating as necessary.

In contrast, the other statements serve different purposes: UPDATE modifies existing records in a table, DELETE removes records, and INSERT adds new records to a table. While all these statements are essential for managing a database, SELECT is the primary tool for data retrieval, making it fundamental in data analysis and reporting tasks. This emphasis on data extraction is what makes SELECT the go-to command for accessing and analyzing information stored in relational databases.