Let's use an analogy to explain EXPLAIN PLAN and DBMS_PROFILER:

EXPLAIN PLAN Analogy:

• Imagine you're preparing for a road trip. Before you hit the road, you consult a GPS or a map to figure out the best route.

• The GPS doesn't take you on the trip itself; it simply shows you the different routes and the best possible path based on traffic, road conditions, and distance.

• EXPLAIN PLAN works the same way. Before actually executing a SQL query, you use EXPLAIN PLAN to get a preview of the route Oracle will take to execute the query. It tells you the sequence of steps (like table scans, index lookups, joins, etc.) Oracle will follow to retrieve the requested data, without actually running the query.

• This allows you to see if there are any inefficient steps (like unnecessary full table scans) and optimize the query before running it for real.

Example:

GPS (EXPLAIN PLAN): "To get to your destination, you’ll take this road first, then make a right turn here, and after 5 miles, you’ll encounter a traffic jam."

Actual Trip (Running the SQL): Actually traveling the road according to the GPS directions.

DBMS_PROFILER Analogy:

• Now, imagine you’ve already completed your road trip and want to analyze your driving experience.

• You record detailed data about how much time you spent driving on highways, how often you had to stop at signals, how many times you had to slow down, and which areas of the trip took the most time.

• You could use this data to figure out which parts of the trip were slow and where you could improve the journey next time.

• DBMS_PROFILER works similarly. After your PL/SQL code (like stored procedures or functions) has executed, DBMS_PROFILER helps you gather detailed information about where the time was spent in the code. It tells you which lines or procedures were the slowest, how many times a function was called, and helps identify bottlenecks.

• This information allows you to optimize the slow parts of your PL/SQL code, just like you'd optimize your road trip for a faster route next time.

Example:

Road Trip Data (DBMS_PROFILER): "You spent 10 minutes waiting at a traffic signal in City A, 20 minutes stuck in a traffic jam near Highway B, and only 5 minutes on the scenic route you took through the mountains."

Optimizing the Trip: Based on this data, you might avoid the traffic jam next time, take a different route, or adjust your schedule.

Summary of the Analogy:

EXPLAIN PLAN: Like checking the GPS before you start a road trip, it shows you the possible path and helps identify if there's a better route.

DBMS_PROFILER: Like reviewing your trip data after the journey, it shows you where time was spent, helping you optimize for future trips.

Both tools are used to optimize performance, but EXPLAIN PLAN helps before you execute the query, while DBMS_PROFILER helps after you've run the code, helping you fine-tune your SQL and PL/SQL for efficiency.