Reports a summary of the query plan generated by the SQL query optimizer to process any valid SQL request, that is, the steps the system would use to resolve a request. The Optimizer processes an explained request in the same way that the request would be processed without the EXPLAIN modifier, except that the SQL within the request is not actually executed. However, for a dynamic plan, the request is partially executed.
Optionally, you can display the output as XML text instead of plain English text.
- INSERT EXPLAIN
- Teradata Vantage™ - SQL Request and Transaction Processing, B035-1142
ANSI Compliance
EXPLAIN is a Teradata extension to the ANSI SQL:2011 standard.
Other SQL dialects support similar non-ANSI standard statements with names such as EXPLAIN PLAN.
Required Privileges
To EXPLAIN a request, you must have the permissions that are required to execute that request.