What does an Inner Join return in data pipelines?

An Inner Join specifically returns only those rows where there is a match in both pipelines, which is why the correct answer is focused on matching values. In the context of data pipelines, an Inner Join operates by combining records from two datasets based on a related column. This operation filters out any records from either dataset that do not have corresponding matches in the other dataset.

For instance, consider two datasets: one containing customer information and another containing orders. An Inner Join between these two would give you only the rows where customers have placed orders, effectively excluding customers without orders or orders without associated customer records. This functionality is key when the goal is to analyze or report on relationships between the data in those two sources.

The other options do not accurately represent the function of an Inner Join. Option A suggests all rows from the primary pipeline are returned, which does not take into account the key aspect of matching records. Option C implies that all rows, including non-matching ones, are included, which contradicts the purpose of an Inner Join. Lastly, Option D mistakenly describes the return of rows with null values, while Inner Joins strictly filter out rows that do not have valid matches.