Which operation occurs first: filtering data with WHERE or joining tables with JOIN?

In SQL, the order of operation execution does not always match the order written in the query, but logically, joins (JOIN) are performed first, followed by filtering with WHERE.

That is:

1. First, JOINs are executed — rows from tables are combined according to conditions.
2. Then, the WHERE filter is applied to the result, discarding rows that do not meet the condition.

Understanding this is important for query optimization and correct condition construction.