Query Processing in SQL

Query Processing includes translations of

high-level Queries into low-level expressions
that can be used at the physical level of
the file system, query optimization, and
actual execution of the query to get the
actual result.
 High-level SQL is translated into low-level
operations/expressions.
 This translation is systematic (methodical)
across the query pipeline.
 It’s applied at the physical storage level
and during query optimization.
 The final low-level plan is executed to
produce the result efficiently.
It needs a basic understanding of relational
algebra and file organization. It includes the
variety of tasks involved in getting data out
of the database. It consists of converting
high-level database language queries into
expressions that can be used at the file
system's physical level.
The process of extracting data from a
database is called query processing. It
requires several steps to retrieve the data
from the database during query processing.
The actions involved actions are:
1. Parsing and translation
2. Optimization
3. Evaluation
The Block Diagram of Query Processing is as:

A detailed Diagram is drawn as:

It is done in the following steps:

Parsing

During the parse call, the database performs

the following checks: Syntax check, Semantic
check, and Shared pool check, after
converting the query into relational algebra
because certain activities for data retrieval
are included in query processing.
First, high-level database languages like SQL
are used to translate the user queries that
have been provided. It is transformed into
expressions that can be applied further at the
file system's physical level. Following this,
the queries are actually evaluated along with
a number of query-optimizing
transformations.
Consequently, a computer system must
convert a query into a language that is
readable and understandable by humans
before processing it. Therefore, the best
option for humans is SQL or Structured
Query Language.
Parser performs the following checks (refer to
the detailed diagram):
Syntax check: concludes SQL syntactic
validity.
Example:
SELECT * FORM employee
Here, the error of the wrong spelling of FROM
is given by this check.

Step-1

Semantic check

determines whether the statement is

meaningful or not. Example: query contains a
table name that does not exist and is
checked by this check.

Shared Pool check

Every query possesses a hash code during its
execution. So, this check determines the
existence of written hash code in the shared
pool if the code exists in the shared pool then
the database will not take additional steps
for optimization and execution.

Step-2

Optimization

During the optimization stage, the database

must perform a hard parse at least for one
unique DML statement and perform
optimization during this parse. This database
never optimizes DDL unless it includes a DML
component such as a subquery that requires
optimization.
It is a process in which multiple query
execution plans for satisfying a query are
examined and the most efficient query plan
is satisfied for execution. The database
catalog stores the execution plans and then
the optimizer passes the lowest-cost plan for
execution.

Row Source Generation

Row Source Generation is software that

receives an optimal execution plan from the
optimizer and produces an iterative
execution plan that is usable by the rest of
the database. The iterative plan is the binary
program that, when executed by the SQL
engine, produces the result set.

Step-3

Evaluation

Finally runs the query and displays the

required result.