Problem Statement
Do CTEs always improve performance? Explain how engines may inline or materialize them and how you decide.
Explanation
A CTE is a query organization tool. Some engines inline it like a view, so it behaves like a subquery. Others may materialize it into a temporary result. The choice can change the plan and memory use.
Decide by measuring with an execution plan. If reuse or expensive re-computation is the issue, a temp table with an index can win. If clarity is the goal and the step is cheap, a CTE is ideal.
Code Solution
SolutionRead Only
WITH t AS (SELECT * FROM big WHERE flag=1) SELECT COUNT(*) FROM t;
Practice Sets
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