Query
Optimization
Techniques
@data insights
What is Query Optimization?
Process of enhancing database
queries for faster execution.
Reduces resource usage (CPU,
memory, I/O).
Improves user experience and
system scalability.
Query
Optimization
Execution
Common Query Optimization
Techniques
Indexing
Query Refactoring
Avoiding SELECT *
Using Joins Instead of Subqueries
Partitioning Large Tables
Before/After Example 1 -
Indexing
Before:
Query: SELECT * FROM users WHERE last_name = 'Smith';
Execution Plan: Full Table Scan.
Performance: Slow (e.g., 500ms).
Since there is no index on last_name, the database performs a Full
Table Scan—checking each row one by one.
After:
Query: CREATE INDEX idx_last_name ON users(last_name);
Execution Plan: Index Seek.
Performance: Fast (e.g., 50ms).
Since an index exists on last_name, the database can directly find
matching rows.
Before/After Example 2 -
Avoiding SELECT
Before:
Query: SELECT * FROM orders;
Execution Plan: Scans all columns.
Performance: Slow (e.g., 300ms).
After:
Query: SELECT “Order ID”, “Customer Name” FROM orders;
Execution Plan: Scans only required columns.
Performance: Fast (e.g., 100ms).
Before/After Example 3 -
Using Joins Instead of
Subqueries
Before:
Query: SELECT * FROM users WHERE user_id IN (SELECT user_id
FROM orders);
Execution Plan: Nested Loop.
Performance: Slow (e.g., 400ms).
After:
Query: SELECT u.* FROM users u JOIN orders o ON u.user_id =
o.user_id;
Execution Plan: Hash Join.
Performance: Fast (e.g., 150ms).
Execution Plans Explained
An execution plan is a roadmap of how a database query is executed,
showing the steps the optimizer chooses to retrieve data efficiently.
How to Read It:
Operations:
Scan (Full table/index scan) → Reads all rows, less efficient.
Seek (Index seek) → Quickly finds specific rows using an index.
Join (Nested Loop, Hash, Merge) → Combines data from
multiple tables.
Cost: Represents the estimated resource usage; lower is better.
Rows: Estimated number of rows processed at each step.
Conclusion
Key Points:
Query Optimization is Critical: Optimized queries reduce execution
time and resource consumption.
Small Changes, Big Impact: Indexing, rewriting queries, or
restructuring joins can dramatically improve performance.
Measure & Test: Always analyze execution plans and benchmark
performance before and after changes.
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