4/14/25, 5:51 PM Query Optimization in PL/SQL - DEV Community

Query Optimization in
PL/SQL
#sql #beginners #programming #tutorial

Query Optimization in PL/SQL and SQL involves techniques and

strategies to improve the performance and efficiency of SQL
queries embedded in PL/SQL code or standalone SQL statements.
Efficient queries reduce response time, resource usage, and
database load, especially when dealing with large datasets or
complex operations. Both PL/SQL and SQL require optimization to
ensure smooth, high-performance database interactions.

Key Techniques for Query Optimization in SQL and PL/SQL

1. Indexing:

Description: Indexes allow the database to quickly locate rows

without scanning the entire table.

Optimization Tip: Use indexes on frequently queried columns,

particularly those used in WHERE, JOIN, and ORDER BY clauses.

Example:

CREATE INDEX idx_employee_id ON employees(employee_id);

SELECT * FROM employees WHERE employee_id = 101;

Caution: Over-indexing can slow down INSERT and UPDATE

operations since the database must maintain the indexes.

1. Avoiding Full Table Scans:

Description: Full table scans are costly as they involve reading every
row in the table.
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Optimization Tip: Use indexes, avoid functions on indexed columns

in the WHERE clause, and prefer selective WHERE conditions.

Example:

-- Avoid using functions on indexed columns:

SELECT * FROM employees WHERE UPPER(last_name) = 'BAKARE'; -
- Slow, index ignored.
-- Use:
SELECT * FROM employees WHERE last_name = 'Bakare'; -- Fast,
index utilized.

1. Query Rewriting:

Description: Restructure or rewrite the query to improve

performance.

Optimization Tip: Replace inefficient queries with equivalent, more

efficient ones. For example, consider using JOIN instead of
subqueries when possible.

Example:

-- Inefficient subquery:
SELECT * FROM employees WHERE employee_id IN (SELECT
employee_id FROM departments);

-- More efficient JOIN:

SELECT e.* FROM employees e JOIN departments d ON
e.employee_id = d.employee_id;

1. Bind Variables:

Description: Bind variables are placeholders in SQL queries that are

replaced with actual values at runtime. They help reuse SQL
execution plans, improving performance.

Optimization Tip: Use bind variables to avoid hard parsing and

reduce database overhead.
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Example:

-- Instead of:
SELECT * FROM employees WHERE employee_id = 101;
-- Use bind variables:
EXECUTE IMMEDIATE 'SELECT * FROM employees WHERE
employee_id = :1' USING v_employee_id;

1. Use of Analytical Functions:

Description: Analytical functions such as ROW_NUMBER, RANK, and

PARTITION BY can perform complex calculations more efficiently
than using subqueries or self-joins.

Optimization Tip: Use analytical functions to replace multiple

queries or window functions.

Example:

-- Instead of complex subquery:

SELECT e., (SELECT COUNT() FROM employees WHERE salary >
e.salary) salary_rank FROM employees e;

-- Use analytical function:

SELECT e.*, RANK() OVER (ORDER BY salary DESC) salary_rank
FROM employees e;

1. Use of EXISTS Instead of IN:

Description: EXISTS is more efficient than IN in certain cases,

especially when subqueries involve large datasets.

Optimization Tip: Replace IN with EXISTS when the subquery

returns many rows.

Example:

-- Inefficient query:
SELECT * FROM employees WHERE department_id IN (SELECT
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department_id FROM departments);

-- More efficient query:

SELECT * FROM employees WHERE EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM
departments WHERE employees.department_id =
departments.department_id);

1. Query Plan Analysis (EXPLAIN PLAN):

Description: The EXPLAIN PLAN command helps analyze how

Oracle executes a query, showing whether indexes are being used,
whether a full table scan occurs, and other insights.

Optimization Tip: Use EXPLAIN PLAN to identify inefficiencies and

adjust the query structure or add indexes accordingly.

Example:

EXPLAIN PLAN FOR

SELECT * FROM employees WHERE employee_id = 101;

SELECT * FROM table(DBMS_XPLAN.DISPLAY);

1. Use of Hints:

Description: Hints are directives that you can add to a SQL query to
influence the optimizer’s behavior, such as forcing the use of an
index or a specific join method.

Optimization Tip: Use hints sparingly, only when necessary to

override the default behavior of the Oracle optimizer.

Example:

-- Force the optimizer to use the index:

SELECT /*+ INDEX(employees idx_employee_id) */ * FROM
employees WHERE employee_id = 101;

1. Partitioning:
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4/14/25, 5:51 PM Query Optimization in PL/SQL - DEV Community

Description: Partitioning divides a large table into smaller, more

manageable pieces (partitions), improving query performance when
accessing a subset of data.

Optimization Tip: Use partitioning for large tables to enhance query

performance and maintenance.

Example:

CREATE TABLE sales (

sale_id NUMBER,
sale_date DATE,
amount NUMBER
)
PARTITION BY RANGE (sale_date) (
PARTITION p1 VALUES LESS THAN (TO_DATE('2023-01-01', 'YYYY-
MM-DD')),
PARTITION p2 VALUES LESS THAN (TO_DATE('2024-01-01', 'YYYY-
MM-DD'))
);

1. Minimize Data Retrieval:

Description: Retrieving large amounts of unnecessary data can

degrade performance.

Optimization Tip: Fetch only the required data using specific

columns rather than SELECT *.

Example:

-- Inefficient:
SELECT * FROM employees;

-- Efficient:
SELECT employee_id, first_name, last_name FROM employees;

Additional Optimization Techniques in PL/SQL:

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1. Bulk Collect and FORALL:

Description: When handling large datasets, using BULK COLLECT

and FORALL can significantly improve performance by minimizing
context switching between SQL and PL/SQL engines.

Optimization Tip: Use BULK COLLECT to fetch multiple rows at once

and FORALL to perform bulk INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE
operations.

Example:

DECLARE
TYPE employee_tab IS TABLE OF employees%ROWTYPE;
l_employees employee_tab;
BEGIN
-- Use BULK COLLECT to fetch data in bulk
SELECT * BULK COLLECT INTO l_employees FROM employees;

-- Use FORALL to update data in bulk

FORALL i IN 1..l_employees.COUNT
UPDATE employees SET salary = salary * 1.1 WHERE employee_id =
l_employees(i).employee_id;
END;

1. Pipelined Table Functions:

Description: Pipelined functions return rows to the calling query

before the function has completed processing all rows, which can
improve performance for large result sets.

Optimization Tip: Use pipelined table functions for large datasets

that require transformation.

Example:

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION get_employees RETURN

employees_tab PIPELINED IS

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BEGIN
FOR r IN (SELECT * FROM employees) LOOP
PIPE ROW (r);
END LOOP;
END;

1. PL/SQL Caching:

Description: Caching frequently accessed data in PL/SQL code

(using package-level variables or the RESULT_CACHE feature)
reduces the need to repeatedly query the database.

Optimization Tip: Cache frequently used data to avoid repeated

database access for the same queries.

Example:

CREATE FUNCTION get_department_name(department_id IN

NUMBER)
RETURN VARCHAR2
RESULT_CACHE
IS
dept_name VARCHAR2(100);
BEGIN
SELECT department_name INTO dept_name FROM departments
WHERE department_id = department_id;
RETURN dept_name;
END;

Conclusion:

Optimizing SQL queries and PL/SQL code is essential for

maintaining efficient and high-performing applications. By applying
techniques like indexing, query rewriting, using bind variables, and
employing analytical functions, you can significantly improve query
performance. Tools such as EXPLAIN PLAN and DBMS_PROFILER
help analyze and fine-tune queries, ensuring optimal resource
utilization and faster execution times.
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