How Modern SQL Databases Come up with Algorithms that You Would Have Never Dreamed Of
summary
Modern cost‑based optimisers (Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL) routinely pick algorithms that beat handwritten code, turning thousand‑line queries into sub‑millisecond work on billion‑row tables. Examples include using a hash join instead of nested loops, computing cumulative totals with a window function, and Oracle’s adaptive execution plans that replan mid‑run. Execution plans show cardinality and cost estimates (often off by ~2×) and explain why adding or dropping an index changes the chosen algorithm.
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