MySQL Query Optimization: Is `IN` Always Faster Than `OR`?

Performance comparison of MySQL OR and IN

When writing database queries, be sure to consider the performance impact of various operators. This article will explore the differences between using OR and IN to filter results in MySQL.

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OR operator checks if at least one specified condition is met, while the IN operator checks if a column value matches any value in the given list. Although the results of these two operators are similar, their performance characteristics may differ.

Contrary to the assumption of compiler optimization, MySQL handles OR and IN differently. Benchmarks consistently show that IN performs significantly better than OR in terms of execution time. In a series of tests, IN consistently completed queries in less than half the time of OR.

Evidence suggests that IN is the preferred operator when filtering based on a list of values. By using IN, developers can optimize queries, increase application responsiveness, and enhance overall database performance.

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