Engineering English
Execution Plan
Software Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: An execution plan is a detailed roadmap generated by the query optimizer showing how a SQL statement will be executed, including the order of operations and access methods. It helps engineers diagnose performance issues.
Example in context
“After reviewing the execution plan, she discovered a costly nested loop join and replaced it with a hash join.”
“Yürütme planını inceledikten sonra, maliyetli bir iç içe döngü birleştirmesi keşfetti ve bunu hash birleştirme ile değiştirdi.”
Where engineers use it
Execution plans are examined during query tuning to identify bottlenecks like table scans, missing indexes, or inefficient join orders. Engineers commonly retrieve plans using EXPLAIN or SET SHOWPLAN commands.
Synonyms: query plan, explain plan
Practice: can you use “Execution Plan” at work?
A colleague says a query runs slowly only on some servers. You suspect parameter sniffing. Request an execution plan to investigate and explain what you look for.
Show a model answer
“Always examine the execution plan before deploying a new query to production.”
“Execution Plan” in 21 languages
| English | Execution Plan |
|---|---|
| Turkish | yürütme planı |
| French | plan d'exécution |
| German | Ausführungsplan |
| Spanish | plan de ejecución |
| Chinese | 执行计划 |
| Arabic | خطة التنفيذ |
| Portuguese | plano de execução |
| Russian | план выполнения |
| Japanese | 実行計画 |
| Italian | piano di esecuzione |
| Vietnamese | kế hoạch thực thi |
| Hindi | निष्पादन योजना |
| Thai | แผนการประมวลผล |
| Indonesian | rencana eksekusi |
| Korean | 실행 계획 |
| Bengali | কার্যকরী পরিকল্পনা |
| Dutch | uitvoeringsplan |
| Swedish | exekveringsplan |
| Finnish | suoritussuunnitelma |
| Ukrainian | план виконання |
Frequently asked questions
What does Execution Plan mean in engineering?
An execution plan is a detailed roadmap generated by the query optimizer showing how a SQL statement will be executed, including the order of operations and access methods. It helps engineers diagnose performance issues. In Software Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Execution Plan?
Execution Plan is pronounced /ˌɛksɪˈkjuːʃən plæn/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Execution Plan used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “After reviewing the execution plan, she discovered a costly nested loop join and replaced it with a hash join.”
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