MySQL EXPLAIN Tool Guide

The explain tool in MySQL is used to analyze the execution plan of a query statement. It shows the query optimizer’s chosen execution plan, including the order in which tables are accessed, the indexes used, the join type, and information about any temporary tables used during the query execution.

By utilizing the explain tool, developers and database administrators can optimize query performance, identify potential issues and bottlenecks within query statements. The output of explain can be used to determine if the query is using the correct indexes, if new indexes need to be added, or if the query statement needs to be optimized.