What is the distinction between beside and besides?

What is the distinction between beside and besides?

The distinction between beside and besides is as follows:

Beside is a preposition that means "next to" or "at the side of." It indicates physical proximity or location.

Besides, on the other hand, is an adverb or preposition that means "in addition to" or "apart from." It is used to introduce additional information or to indicate something unrelated or separate from the main topic.

In summary, beside refers to physical proximity, while besides refers to additional or unrelated information.