Coffee is sold in both whole beans and ground form.
Ground coffee is originally beans that have been ground up.
With beans, you buy them, then grind them into powder and brew them yourself to drink.
Why are some coffees sold as whole beans and others as ground?
Beans stay fresher longer. Ground coffee increases the surface area, oxidizing faster and losing flavor and aroma more quickly.
Whole beans, on the other hand, help preserve flavor and aroma for longer.