Examine the output: Which explain command will obtain the output?

Question

Exhibit

Options

• AEXPLAIN ANALYZE
• BEXPLAIN PARTITIONS
• CEXPLAIN FORMAT=TREE
• DEXPLAIN PORMAT^TRADITIONAL
• EEXPLAIN PORMAT=JSON

• B
  8% (2)
• D
  4% (1)
• E
  88% (22)

Explanation

EXPLAIN FORMAT=JSON (option E) produces a structured JSON output with nested fields like "query_block", "cost_info", and "table" - the format the question's output displays. JSON output provides the richest detail, including cost estimates and access type metadata not visible in other formats.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A (EXPLAIN ANALYZE) executes the query and adds actual runtime metrics (loops, timing), producing a different output style - not pure JSON structure.
• B (EXPLAIN PARTITIONS) reveals which table partitions the optimizer will access, outputting a tabular result, not JSON.
• C (EXPLAIN FORMAT=TREE) outputs a human-readable hierarchical tree (indented text), not JSON key-value pairs.
• D (EXPLAIN PORMAT^TRADITIONAL) is invalid on two counts: PORMAT is a misspelling of FORMAT, and ^ is not a valid assignment operator - the correct syntax uses =.

Note that option E also contains the PORMAT typo in the question wording, but the intended syntax is EXPLAIN FORMAT=JSON, which is valid.

Memory tip: Think "J for JavaScript-style output" - FORMAT=JSON gives you the curly-brace, key-value structure you'd recognize from any JSON document, making it the only choice that matches a JSON-shaped EXPLAIN output.

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