Azure Data Studio – Explain SQL Server Execution Plan

After reading my yesterday’s blog post on Azure Data Studio- Export Any SQL SERVER Query As JSON, I got a question from my regular client of Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check. The question was about is there any way we can see SQL Server Execution Plan in Azure Data Studio.

Yes, it is indeed possible to have SQL Server Execution Plan in Azure Data Studio and it is under a tab explain.

Explain SQL Server Execution Plan

If you are new to Azure Data Studio, here are the blog posts which you can refer to

• SQL SERVER – Getting Started with Azure Data Studio
• SQL SERVER – Difference Between Azure Data Studio and SQL Server Management Studio
• Azure Data Studio- Export Any SQL SERVER Query As JSON

First Open an Azure Data Studio and connect to your server. Once the connection is completed. Write any query in the new query window. For our example, I am going to use the following query:

SELECT TOP 100 *
FROM WideWorldImporters.Sales.Invoices

Once the query is done. Click on the EXPLAIN icon which is next to the database name in the top menu and it will render the Query Plan in the bottom window.

White the execution plan looks much different from SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), they are essentially displaying the same information. In addition to Query plan, there is another tab that can be very helpful is Top Operations.

I personally find the Top Operations very helpful when I am working on Query Tuning part from the Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check. It helps me to understand which operator is taking a longer period of time and cost compared to others and what I can do next.

I have started to use ADS along with SSMS at my client’s place and during the consulting engagement, have you started the same?

Reference: Pinal Dave (https://blog.sqlauthority.com)