What is the difference between covalent bonds and ionic bonds?

Formation: A covalent bond is formed between two non-metals that have similar electronegativities. Neither atom is "strong" enough to attract electrons from the other. For stabilization, they share their electrons from outer molecular orbit with others, An ionic bond is formed between a metal and a non-metal. read more

Covalent bonding is a form of chemical bonding between two non metallic atoms which is characterized by the sharing of pairs of electrons between atoms and other covalent bonds. Ionic bond, also known as electrovalent bond, is a type of bond formed from the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions in a chemical compound. read more

In contrast, covalent compounds typically occur between nonmetals or two atoms of the same or similar elements. Atoms with similar electronegativities, which can be determined from the periodic table, tend to attract one another and form covalent bonds. read more