Query Insights 🚀: UX + Integration

[tnaum-ms]

Query Performance 🚀

We propose Query Performance Insights for DocumentDB and MongoDB databases, a feature that provides developers with detailed query performance metrics directly within the Collection View. This functionality aims to make it easier to understand, analyze, and optimize queries by leveraging the explain command and related tools. Here’s the concept, and we’d appreciate your input to refine it further.

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Proposed Feature Overview

The Query Performance feature will provide a dedicated tab within the Collection View to display detailed performance metrics and insights after each query execution. By using the explain command, it will highlight query execution paths, index usage, and potential optimization opportunities.

Core Features

1. Query Performance Tab

   • Automatically generate performance insights for every query executed in the Collection View.
   • Display query performance data in a new tab, adjacent to the query results tab, for seamless exploration.

2. Detailed explain Results

   • Present results of the explain command in a structured and readable format.
   • Include support for all verbosity levels (queryPlanner, executionStats, allPlansExecution) to provide varying levels of detail.

3. Index Usage Insights

   • Highlight indexes used in the query execution.
   • Show whether the query is fully indexed, partially indexed, or unindexed.

4. Index Suggestions

   • Provide recommendations for indexes that could improve query performance, based on execution stats and query patterns.
   • Include an option to generate suggested indexes as editable templates for easy creation.

5. Performance Summary

   • Key metrics summary for each query:
     • Execution time (total and per operation).
     • Document and index scan counts.
     • Number of documents returned.
     • Stages in the query execution pipeline.
   • Flag potential performance bottlenecks, such as unindexed fields or large collection scans.

6. Customizable Display Options

   • Allow users to toggle between:
     • Table View: Tabular format for key metrics and index usage.
     • Dashboard View: Visualizations like bar charts, pie charts, and execution graphs for a more interactive analysis experience.

7. Actionable Insights

   • Highlight areas for improvement, such as:
     • Queries that could benefit from compound indexes.
     • Fields frequently involved in sorts, filters, or joins.
     • Expensive stages in the query execution plan.

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We Need Your Feedback!

Discussion Areas

1. Presentation Style

   • Would you prefer a dashboard-style visualization (e.g., charts and graphs) or a simple table with detailed statistics?
   • Should we include an option to toggle between both styles?

2. Index Suggestions

   • How useful would index recommendations be?
   • Should we include detailed explanations for why specific indexes are suggested, or would users prefer just the generated templates?

3. Additional Insights

   • Beyond indexes and execution stats, what other query performance metrics would you find valuable?
   • Should we highlight query performance trends over time for repeated queries?

4. Explain Verbosity

   • Should we default to a specific verbosity level (e.g., executionStats) or allow users to select it dynamically?

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How It Will Work

1. Query Execution and Analysis

   • Automatically run the explain command after every query execution.
   • Parse and format the results for easy comprehension.

2. Query Performance Tab

   • Display performance metrics in a new tab next to the query results tab.
   • Allow users to toggle verbosity levels and adjust views (table or dashboard).

3. Metrics and Visualizations

   • Key metrics shown in both text and visual formats:
     • Execution time, scan counts, documents returned.
     • Query plan stages and execution details.
   • Visualize query stages with flowcharts or hierarchical diagrams for complex plans.

4. Index Usage and Recommendations

   • Clearly indicate whether an index was used.
   • Suggest improvements, such as new indexes, based on query patterns and explain insights.
   • Offer templates for creating suggested indexes, which can be refined and applied by the user.

5. Customizable User Experience

   • Include settings to adjust verbosity levels and switch between table and dashboard views.
   • Allow exporting performance insights for further analysis.

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Draft Development Plan

1. Integration with explain

   • Query the database’s explain API to retrieve query execution details.
   • Parse and structure the data for display in various formats.

2. UI Design for Query Performance Tab

   • Develop a React-based tab interface within the Collection View.
   • Include toggleable options for table and dashboard views.

3. Index Insights and Suggestions

   • Analyze execution stats to highlight index usage and inefficiencies.
   • Implement logic to generate suggested indexes based on query patterns.

4. Visualizations and Metrics

   • Design charts, graphs, and diagrams for execution paths, document scans, and performance bottlenecks.
   • Add a summary view for key metrics like execution time and document counts.

5. Testing and Validation

   • Test with complex queries and large datasets to ensure performance and accuracy.
   • Validate index suggestions and query plan interpretations.

6. Documentation and User Guide

   • Provide clear instructions for using the Query Performance tab.
   • Include examples of common performance issues and how to address them using the feature.

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What’s Next?

This is the initial concept for Query Performance Insights. With your feedback, we’ll refine and enhance this feature to make it as comprehensive and user-friendly as possible.

[khelanmodi]

Figma Mockup: https://www.figma.com/design/eopE853GMdTxsJAF8UdeJZ/DocumentDB-for-VS-code?node-id=2008-1668

[khelanmodi]

Lets call it "Query Insights"