Problem
Currently, ExplainPlanPlanVisitor.explain (code reference) provides the physical plan of the SQL query in a simple text format. One such example of the output is as follows.

 [0]@localhost:3 MAIL_RECEIVE(RANDOM_DISTRIBUTED)
├── [1]@localhost:2 MAIL_SEND(RANDOM_DISTRIBUTED)->{[0]@localhost@{3,3}|[0]}
│   └── [1]@localhost:2 PROJECT
│      └── [1]@localhost:2 TABLE SCAN (a) null
└── [1]@localhost:1 MAIL_SEND(RANDOM_DISTRIBUTED)->{[0]@localhost@{3,3}|[0]}
   └── [1]@localhost:1 PROJECT
      └── [1]@localhost:1 TABLE SCAN (a) null

EXPLAIN PLAN FOR SQL query supports various formats(XML, JSON, DOT and TEXT), and with the solution approach to the issue(support explain on physical plan ); the output of the physical plan of the query should follow the same format as mentioned in the Explain Query.

Solution Approach

• Extend the ExplainPlanPlanVisitor class for different output formats and generate the physical plan based on the format mentioned in the Explain query.
• TEXT will be the default output format, if not mentioned in the Explain query.

NOTE
example of the Explain query with format option

EXPLAIN Plan As JSON Select * from airlineStats

labels:

• enhancement

cc: @walterddr