The WHERE clause is a fundamental part of SQL, used to filter rows from a single table. When used with JOINs, it filters the *combined* result set of the joined tables. This means you're not just filtering one table, but the output of the entire join operation. This is different from filtering each table individually before the join. Understanding this distinction is key to effective data retrieval. The WHERE clause can contain various comparison operators (e.g., =, >, <, >=, <=, !=, BETWEEN, IN, LIKE) and logical operators (e.g., AND, OR, NOT) to create complex filtering conditions. This allows you to select only the data that meets your specific criteria, making your queries more targeted and efficient. For example, you might want to find all customers who placed orders over a certain amount in a specific city. The WHERE clause, in conjunction with a JOIN, would allow you to achieve this.