Explain and cost

Explain output shows the work that a call completed. The example executes the names query with an explain record and reads its completed stages.

Example

Explain a query

query_text holds this document:

edn66 B
{:find    [?name]
 :where   [[?e "name" ?name]]
 :orderBy [?name]}
rust233 B
let definition = stardust::parse(query_text, Format::EDN)?;
let query = db.query(&definition)?;
let mut result = stardust::QueryExplain::default();
let rows = query.run(None, &RunOptions::default(), Some(&mut result))?;
rows.close();
Result / 1.1 kB
{:value {:load_definition   {:cpu         446
                             :wall        452
                             :arena_bytes 1680}
         :parameters        {:cpu         6
                             :wall        8
                             :arena_bytes 0}
         :run               {:cpu         7249
                             :wall        7274
                             :arena_bytes 7424}
         :total             {:cpu         7723
                             :wall        7754
                             :arena_bytes 9104}
         :arena_capacity    4194304
         :work              4948
         :rows              3
         :compile           119
         :plan              373
         :execute           0
         :group             0
         :order             0
         :memory_bytes      5995
         :memory_refusals   0
         :budget_bytes      10489856512
         :budget_used_bytes 10194
         :budget_peak_bytes 14267
         :budget_refusals   0
         :retry             0
         :stages_completed  3
         :retries           0}}

Failure output

A failed call can still supply explain output for the stages that completed.

  1. Read stages_completed.
  2. Then read the fields of the stages that completed.

The record tables below give the fields, absent values, and time units of each operation.

Stored plan decisions

A call's cost record describes that execution. It does not load stored plan history. Use the plan operation in Definitions with the explain action to read accepted plans and their history. Each revision reports its version, source and reason. Trial decisions include candidate proposals and measured verdicts.

Set page_size and max_bytes to bound one diagnostic response. The response includes the current accepted transaction, the complete plan state and a history page from one snapshot. Pass a nonzero next_after as the next page's argument.

The adaptive query planner can retry a capped plan with the statistics plan. Query explain reports those attempts in retry and retries.

cost

This record measures one explain stage. The cpu and wall fields are durations. The ABI gives 100-ns ticks. Thus, a time less than one tick is zero.

FieldTypeUnitRangeAbsentMeaning
cpuOption<Duration>Host duration (100 ns ticks at the ABI)Tick rangeNoneThread CPU time. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
wallDurationHost duration (100 ns ticks at the ABI)Tick range—Wall time. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
arena_bytesi64BytesHost type range—Bytes the stage allocated from the scratch arena of the call. Heap-owned outputs and the LuaJIT heap are not included. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.

build_explain

This record contains explain output for build.

FieldTypeUnitMeaning
prepare_expressionCostNone—
compileCostNone—
totalCostNoneThe cost of all stages. arena_bytes records the peak scratch-arena allocation.
arena_capacityi64BytesBytes the scratch arena reserved. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
stages_completedu32CountStages that ran.
cache_hitboolNoneThe leased runtime holds a compiled copy of the expression. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.

eval_explain

This record contains explain output for evaluate.

FieldTypeUnitMeaning
prepare_variablesCostNone—
evaluateCostNone—
adopt_documentCostNone—
totalCostNoneThe cost of all stages. arena_bytes records the peak scratch-arena allocation.
arena_capacityi64BytesBytes the scratch arena reserved. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
document_bytesi64BytesUsed bytes of the native value, string and source buffers of the result. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
stages_completedu32CountStages that ran.

query_explain

This record contains explain output for query run. The compile, plan, execute, group and order fields divide the wall time of run into stages.

FieldTypeUnitRangeMeaning
load_definitionCostNoneHost type range—
parametersCostNoneHost type range—
runCostNoneHost type rangePlanning, execution and aggregation. Pages render later, in next.
totalCostNoneHost type rangeThe cost of all stages. arena_bytes records the peak scratch-arena allocation.
arena_capacityi64BytesHost type rangeBytes the scratch arena reserved. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
workDurationHost duration (100 ns ticks at the ABI)Tick rangeThread CPU duration consumed by the query. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
rowsi64CountHost type rangeResult rows.
compileDurationHost duration (100 ns ticks at the ABI)Tick rangeThe call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
planDurationHost duration (100 ns ticks at the ABI)Tick rangeThe call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
executeDurationHost duration (100 ns ticks at the ABI)Tick rangeProduction of solutions. A streamed result produces solutions while pages render. Thus, execute measures only the solutions that run reads. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
groupDurationHost duration (100 ns ticks at the ABI)Tick rangeAggregates, windows and computed columns. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
orderDurationHost duration (100 ns ticks at the ABI)Tick rangeThe call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
memory_bytesi64BytesHost type rangeThe most working memory the run held reserved in the database's memory budget at once. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
memory_refusalsi64CountHost type rangeReservations of the run that the memory budget granted less than asked. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
budget_bytesi64BytesHost type rangeThe database's memory budget (memory_budget_bytes).
budget_used_bytesi64BytesHost type rangeBytes every query of the database held reserved when run returned. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
budget_peak_bytesi64BytesHost type rangeThe most bytes the database's queries held reserved at once since it opened. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
budget_refusalsi64CountHost type rangeReservations the database's budget granted less than asked since it opened. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
retryDurationHost duration (100 ns ticks at the ABI)Tick rangeThread CPU duration of the attempts given up because the planner's plan passed its cap. work includes it. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
stages_completedu32CountHost type rangeStages that ran.
retriesu32CountHost type rangeAttempts given up because the planner's plan passed its cap; the query then ran the statistics' plan within the rest of its budget.

mutation_explain

This record contains explain output for mutation run.

FieldTypeUnitMeaning
load_definitionCostNone—
parametersCostNone—
runCostNone—
totalCostNoneThe cost of all stages. arena_bytes records the peak scratch-arena allocation.
arena_capacityi64BytesBytes the scratch arena reserved. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
stages_completedu32CountStages that ran.
attemptsu32CountEvaluations. More than one when a concurrent write forced a retry.

patch_explain

This record contains explain output for merge_patch.

FieldTypeUnitMeaning
copy_patchCostNone—
commitCostNoneValidation and the commit.
totalCostNoneThe cost of all stages. arena_bytes records the peak scratch-arena allocation.
arena_capacityi64BytesBytes the scratch arena reserved. The call measures this value. Independent calls can differ.
stages_completedu32CountStages that ran.

Explain examples

The generator captured each result from the native library.

Inspect one measured cost stage

expression_text holds this document:

edn10 B
["+" ?x 1]
rust211 B
let expression = stardust::parse(expression_text, Format::EDN)?;
let mut explain = stardust::BuildExplain::default();
let _program = stardust::build(&expression, Some(&mut explain))?;
let result = explain.total;
Result / 75 B
{:value {:cpu         22
         :wall        23
         :arena_bytes 0}}

Explain expression compilation

expression_text holds this document:

edn10 B
["+" ?x 1]
rust205 B
let expression = stardust::parse(expression_text, Format::EDN)?;
let mut explain = stardust::BuildExplain::default();
let _program = stardust::build(&expression, Some(&mut explain))?;
let result = explain;
Result / 513 B
{:value {:prepare_expression {:cpu         4
                              :wall        4
                              :arena_bytes 0}
         :compile            {:cpu         15
                              :wall        15
                              :arena_bytes 0}
         :total              {:cpu         23
                              :wall        23
                              :arena_bytes 0}
         :arena_capacity     65536
         :stages_completed   2
         :cache_hit          true}}

Explain patch validation and commit

seed_text holds this document:

edn287 B
{:#_ada {:name "Ada"
         :role "engineer"
         :age  36}
 :#_bob {:name   "Bob"
         :role   "engineer"
         :age    41
         :mentor {:#link "#_ada"}}
 :#_cy  {:name "Cy"
         :role "designer"
         :age  29}
 :#_tx  {:author "smoke"
         :reason "seed"}}
rust173 B
let patch = stardust::parse(seed_text, Format::EDN)?;
let mut explain = stardust::PatchExplain::default();
db.merge_patch(&patch, Some(&mut explain))?;
let result = explain;
Result / 484 B
{:value {:copy_patch       {:cpu         1735
                            :wall        1737
                            :arena_bytes 3096}
         :commit           {:cpu         654
                            :wall        35495
                            :arena_bytes 8008}
         :total            {:cpu         2517
                            :wall        37397
                            :arena_bytes 11118}
         :arena_capacity   4194304
         :stages_completed 2}}

Explain mutation execution

birthday_text holds this document:

edn82 B
{:query {:find  [?e]
         :where [[?e "name" "Ada"]]}
 :patch {:?e {:age 37}}}
rust239 B
let source = stardust::parse(birthday_text, Format::EDN)?;
let mutation = db.mutation(&source)?;
let mut explain = stardust::MutationExplain::default();
mutation.run(None, &RunOptions::default(), Some(&mut explain))?;
let result = explain;
Result / 649 B
{:value {:load_definition  {:cpu         3078
                            :wall        3092
                            :arena_bytes 2320}
         :parameters       {:cpu         34
                            :wall        44
                            :arena_bytes 0}
         :run              {:cpu         14526
                            :wall        44667
                            :arena_bytes 43856}
         :total            {:cpu         17795
                            :wall        47963
                            :arena_bytes 46176}
         :arena_capacity   4194304
         :stages_completed 3
         :attempts         1}}

Explain expression evaluation

expression_text holds this document:

edn10 B
["+" ?x 1]

input_text holds this document:

edn7 B
{:x 41}
rust311 B
let expression = stardust::parse(expression_text, Format::EDN)?;
let program = stardust::build(&expression, None)?;
let input = stardust::parse(input_text, Format::EDN)?;
let mut explain = stardust::EvalExplain::default();
let _output = program.evaluate(Some(&input), Some(&mut explain))?;
let result = explain;
Result / 632 B
{:value {:prepare_variables {:cpu         4
                             :wall        5
                             :arena_bytes 0}
         :evaluate          {:cpu         50
                             :wall        50
                             :arena_bytes 0}
         :adopt_document    {:cpu         5
                             :wall        5
                             :arena_bytes 0}
         :total             {:cpu         64
                             :wall        65
                             :arena_bytes 0}
         :arena_capacity    65536
         :document_bytes    42
         :stages_completed  3}}

Explain query execution

query_text holds this document:

edn66 B
{:find    [?name]
 :where   [[?e "name" ?name]]
 :orderBy [?name]}
rust244 B
let definition = stardust::parse(query_text, Format::EDN)?;
let query = db.query(&definition)?;
let mut explain = stardust::QueryExplain::default();
let _rows = query.run(None, &RunOptions::default(), Some(&mut explain))?;
let result = explain;
Result / 1.1 kB
{:value {:load_definition   {:cpu         789
                             :wall        803
                             :arena_bytes 1680}
         :parameters        {:cpu         9
                             :wall        12
                             :arena_bytes 0}
         :run               {:cpu         13782
                             :wall        13889
                             :arena_bytes 7424}
         :total             {:cpu         14619
                             :wall        14743
                             :arena_bytes 9104}
         :arena_capacity    4194304
         :work              9966
         :rows              3
         :compile           326
         :plan              575
         :execute           0
         :group             0
         :order             0
         :memory_bytes      5995
         :memory_refusals   0
         :budget_bytes      10489856512
         :budget_used_bytes 10194
         :budget_peak_bytes 14267
         :budget_refusals   0
         :retry             0
         :stages_completed  3
         :retries           0}}