How Predicate Pushdown Enhances SQL Query Performance?

Introduction

In big data scenarios, optimizing SQL query performance is a critical task for database management. Predicate pushdown, a classic query rewriting optimization technique, reduces data processing volume by pushing filtering conditions closer to the data source. This directly lowers I/O consumption, improves index utilization, and minimizes CPU computation. This article validates the optimization effects of predicate pushdown across different query structures using real-world testing environments (1M-row datasets), compares execution plans, analyzes performance metrics, and clarifies optimization boundaries—providing actionable guidance for developers.

Test Environment Setup

1. Table Structure Design

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-- Student scores main table (1 million records)
CREATE TABLE students (
    student_id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
    dept_id INT NOT NULL,
    score DECIMAL(5,2) NOT NULL DEFAULT 0.0,
    exam_time DATETIME DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
) ENGINE=InnoDB;

2. Test Data Generation

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-- Generate 1 million student score records
SET cte_max_recursion_depth=1000000;
INSERT INTO students (dept_id, score)
WITH RECURSIVE seq AS (
    SELECT 1 AS n UNION ALL
    SELECT n+1 FROM seq WHERE n < 1000000 
)
SELECT
    FLOOR((n-1)/500000)+1 AS dept_id,     
    ROUND(50 + RAND(n)*50 + (n%10)*0.5, 2) AS score 
FROM seq;

SQL Optimization

1. Original SQL

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SELECT *
FROM (
    SELECT
        student_id,
        AVG(score) AS avg_score
    FROM students
    GROUP BY student_id
) AS temp
WHERE avg_score > 5.0;

2. Optimized SQL with SQLFlash

We rewrote the query using SQLFlash.

Optimized SQL:

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SELECT student_id, AVG(score) AS avg_score
FROM students
GROUP BY student_id
HAVING AVG(score) > 5.0;

View Detailed Report

Performance Analysis

SQLFlash Insights

SQLFlash’s analysis reveals that the optimized query moves the avg_score > 5.0 filter into the HAVING clause. This allows the aggregation step (grouping and calculating AVG(score)) to filter out unqualified groups during computation, reducing the result set size before outer processing. Combined with subquery folding, it merges aggregation and filtering into a single step, eliminating redundant intermediate result sets and streamlining the query structure.

Original Execution Plan

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mysql> explain SELECT * FROM (     SELECT         student_id,         AVG(score) AS avg_score       FROM students     GROUP BY student_id ) AS temp WHERE avg_score > 5.0;
+----+-------------+------------+------------+-------+---------------+---------+---------+------+--------+----------+-------------+
| id | select_type | table      | partitions | type  | possible_keys | key     | key_len | ref  | rows   | filtered | Extra       |
+----+-------------+------------+------------+-------+---------------+---------+---------+------+--------+----------+-------------+
|  1 | PRIMARY     | <derived2> | NULL       | ALL   | NULL          | NULL    | NULL    | NULL | 997899 |    33.33 | Using where |
|  2 | DERIVED     | students   | NULL       | index | PRIMARY       | PRIMARY | 4       | NULL | 997899 |   100.00 | NULL        |
+----+-------------+------------+------------+-------+---------------+---------+---------+------+--------+----------+-------------+
2 rows in set, 1 warning (0.00 sec)

Optimized Execution Plan

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mysql> explain SELECT student_id, AVG(score) AS avg_score FROM students GROUP BY student_id HAVING AVG(score) > 5.0;
+----+-------------+----------+------------+-------+---------------+---------+---------+------+--------+----------+-------+
| id | select_type | table    | partitions | type  | possible_keys | key     | key_len | ref  | rows   | filtered | Extra |
+----+-------------+----------+------------+-------+---------------+---------+---------+------+--------+----------+-------+
|  1 | SIMPLE      | students | NULL       | index | PRIMARY       | PRIMARY | 4       | NULL | 997899 |   100.00 | NULL  |
+----+-------------+----------+------------+-------+---------------+---------+---------+------+--------+----------+-------+
1 row in set, 1 warning (0.00 sec)

Performance Metrics Comparison

Optimization Principles

1. Rows Scanned

Both queries scan 997,899 rows (full table scan). However:

• The subquery version scans twice: once to generate the derived table, then again to filter the temporary result (33.33% filtered by WHERE).
• The HAVING version completes grouping and filtering in a single scan, with a more compact workflow.

✅ Conclusion: Both scan the same rows, but HAVING eliminates intermediate table processing.

2. CPU Usage

• Subquery + Outer WHERE: Higher CPU cost due to grouped aggregation in the first scan, followed by row filtering on the temporary table.
• HAVING Version: Single scan and aggregation, with no intermediate table—reducing CPU load, especially with large result sets.

✅ Conclusion: HAVING saves CPU time, particularly with large datasets.

3. Disk I/O

• Subquery Version: May generate temporary tables (depending on data size and tmp_table_size). Large temporary tables spill to disk, increasing I/O.
• HAVING Version: No intermediate tables; aggregation completes in-memory (if memory permits), avoiding disk spills.

✅ Conclusion: HAVING minimizes disk I/O, improving performance in large-data scenarios.

Conclusion

Optimization Outcomes

1. Efficiency Gains:

   • Eliminates derived table generation, reducing intermediate table scans and overall execution time.
   • Merges aggregation and filtering into a single step, lowering CPU usage.
   • Avoids disk temporary tables, reducing I/O pressure in big-data scenarios.

2. Optimization Boundaries

   • Always prioritize HAVING over outer WHERE for post-aggregation filters.
   • Combine with index optimization when filters can be pushed to base table scans (e.g., WHERE clauses).

Development Recommendations

• Use HAVING instead of outer WHERE for grouped aggregation filters.
• Monitor EXPLAIN plans for DERIVED identifiers to eliminate unnecessary intermediate tables.
• Refactor queries instead of solely increasing tmp_table_size when threshold limits are hit.

Recommended reading

• SQL Optimization Course
• SQL optimization knowledge
• Database industry knowledge

What is SQLFlash?

SQLFlash is your AI-powered SQL Optimization Partner.

Based on AI models, we accurately identify SQL performance bottlenecks and optimize query performance, freeing you from the cumbersome SQL tuning process so you can fully focus on developing and implementing business logic.

How to use SQLFlash in a database?

• SQLFlash + MySQL

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