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Document 29236.1

QREF: SQL Statement HINTS (Doc ID 29236.1)

APPLIES TO:
Oracle Database - Enterprise Edition - Version 7.0.16.0 and later
Information in this document applies to any platform.

PURPOSE
List and explain some of the hints for the CBO

SCOPE
Various

DETAILS
General
Syntax: /*+ HINT HINT ... */
Note: (In PLSQL the space between the '+' and the first letter of the hint is vital as otherwise the hint
may be ignored.
So /*+ ALL_ROWS */ is fine but /*+ALL_ROWS */ will cause problems. See Bug:697121
Hints always force the use of the cost based optimizer (Exception: the RULE hint).
Hints must reference the table alias, if aliases are in use. For example:
Incorrect:
SELECT /*+ FULL ( emp ) */ empno FROM emp myalias WHERE empno > 10;

Correct:
SELECT /*+ FULL ( myalias ) */ empno FROM emp myalias WHERE empno > 10;

Hints should not reference the schema name. For example:

SELECT /*+ index(scott.emp emp1) */ ...

should not be used. Alias the table name instead and use the alias in the hint.
Invalid hints cause the hint to be ignored without warning
Invalid hints may not be immediately obvious. For example: FIRST_ROWS as a hint when the statement has
an ORDER BY clause
(since the data has to be ordered prior to the first row being returned the first_rows hint may not have the
desired effect).
The access path to be HINTed must be an available access path. For example an index hint referencing a
non-existant index with fail silently.
If third party tools do not contain the logic to support hints, then a potential workaround is to embed hints
in a view and then reference that view.
Refer to the OracleDatabase Performance Tuning Guide for more on hints.

Hint Reference: -

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Hints referring to Sub-Queries/views:

PUSH_SUBQ

Causes all subqueries in a query block to be executed at

the earliest possible time. Normally subqueries are
executed as the last is applied is outerjoined or remote or
joined with a merge join. (>=7.2)

NO_MERGE(v)

Use this hint in a VIEW to PREVENT it being merged into

the parent query. (>=7.2) or use NO_MERGE(v) in parent
query block to prevent view V being merged

MERGE(v)

Do merge view V

PUSH_JOIN_PRED(v)

Push join predicates into view V

NO_PUSH_JOIN_PRED(v) Do NOT push join predicates

Access Hints
FULL(tab)

Use Full Table Scan FTS on table tab

CACHE(tab)

If table within <Parameter:CACHE_SIZE_THRESHOLD> treat as if it had the CACHE

See <Parameter:CACHE_SIZE_THRESHOLD>. Only applies if FTS used.

NOCACHE(tab)

Do not cache table even if it has CACHE option set. Only relevant for FTS.

CLUSTER(tab)

Use cluster scan to access 'tab'

HASH(tab)

Use hash scan to access 'tab'

INDEX(tab [ind])

Use 'ind' scan to access 'tab' - Disables index_ffs.

See Document 50607.1 How to specify an INDEX Hint

NO_INDEX (tab [ind])

Do not use 'ind' to access 'tab'

INDEX_ASC(tab [ind])

Use 'ind' to access 'tab' for range scan.

INDEX_DESC(tab {ind])

Use descending index range scan (Join problems pre 7.3)

INDEX_FFS(tab [ind])

Index fast full scan - rather than FTS.

NO_INDEX_FFS(tab [ind])

Exclude the option of using Index fast full scan - rather than FTS.

INDEX_RRS(tab [ind])

Index Rowid Range scan

INDEX_COMBINE( tab i1.. i5 ) Try to use some boolean combination of bitmap index/s i1,i2 etc

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INDEX_SS(tab [ind])

Use 'ind' to access 'tab' with an index skip scan

INDEX_SS_ASC(tab [ind])

Use 'ind' to access 'tab' with an index skip scan in Ascending order

INDEX_SS_DESC(tab [ind])

Use 'ind' to access 'tab' with an index skip scan in Descending order

NO_INDEX_SS(tab [ind])

Exclude the option of using 'ind' to access 'tab' with an index skip scan

USE_CONCAT

Use concatenation (Union All) for OR (or IN) statements. (>=7.2).

See Document 17214.1 (7.2 requires <Event:10078>, 7.3 no hint req)

NO_EXPAND

Do not perform OR-expansion (Ie: Do not use Concatenation).

DRIVING_SITE(table)

Forces query execution to be done at the site where "table" resides

Joining
USE_NL(tab)

Use table 'tab' as the inner table in a Nested Loops join.

May not work unless by a hint that forces the correct join order (e.g. ORDERED hint)

NO_USE_NL(tab)

Excludes the use of table 'tab' as the inner table in a Nested Loops join

USE_NL_WITH_INDEX(tab) The USE_NL_WITH_INDEX hint will cause the optimizer to join the specified table to a
row source with a nested loops join using the specified table as the inner table but
the following condition: If no index is specified, the optimizer must be able to use
index with at least one join predicate as the index key.
If an index is specified, the optimizer must be able to use that index with at leas
predicate as the index key.
USE_MERGE(tab..)

Join each specified table with another row source using a sort-merge join.

NO_USE_MERGE(tab..)

Excludes the option of joining each specified table with another row source using a

USE_HASH(tab1 tab2)

Join each specified table with another row source with a hash join.
'tab1' is joined to previous row source using a hash join. (>=7.3)

NO_USE_HASH(tab1 tab2) Excludes the option of joining each specified table with another row source with a h
STAR_TRANSFORMATION

Use best plan containing a STAR transformation (if there is one)

NO_STAR_TRANSFORMATION Exclude the option of using the best plan containing a STAR transformation
ORDERED

Access tables in the order of the FROM clause

LEADING

This hint specifies only the driving table. From there CBO is free to investigate mu

Parallel Query Option

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PARALLEL ( table, <degree> [,

<instances>] )

Use parallel degree / instances as

specified

PARALLEL_INDEX(table, [ index, [ degree

[,instances] ] ] )

Parallel range scan for partitioned index

PQ_DISTRIBUTE(tab,out,in)

How to distribute rows from tab in a PQ

(out/in may be
HASH/NONE/BROADCAST/PARTITION)

NO_PARALLEL(table)

Starting from 10g this syntax should be

used

NO_PARALLEL_INDEX(table [,index])

Starting from 10g this syntax should be

used

Miscellaneous
APPEND

Only valid for INSERT .. SELECT. Allows INSERT to work like

direct load or to perform parallel insert.
See Document 50592.1

NOAPPEND

Do not use INSERT APPEND functionality

REWRITE(v1[,v2])

8.1+ With a view list use eligible materialized view Without view
list use any eligible MV

NO_REWRITE

Starting from 10g this syntax should be used

NO_UNNEST

Add to a subquery to prevent it from being unnested

UNNEST

Unnests specified subquery block if possible

SWAP_JOIN_INPUTS Allows the user to switch the inputs of a join. See Document
171940.1
CARDINALITY(t1
[,..],n)

Makes the CBO to use different assumptions about cardinality at

the table level

Optimizer Mode
FIRST_ROWS

Force CBO first rows

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ALL_ROWS

Force CBO all rows

RULE

Force RBO if possible

Deprecated Hints
NOTE: Starting from Oracle version 10.1.0.2 the following hints have been deprecated and should not be used:
AND_EQUAL, HASH_AJ, MERGE_AJ, NL_AJ, HASH_SJ, MERGE_SJ, NL_SJ, ORDERED_PREDICATES, ROWID,
STAR.
Descriptions for deprecated hints are included below for historical reference:
AND_EQUAL(tab i1.. i5 )

Merge scans of 2 to 5 single column indexes.

MERGE_AJ(v)

Put hint in a NOT IN subquery to perform sort-merge antijoin or hash anti-join or nested loops antijoin (>=7.3).
For example:
SELECT .. WHERE deptno is not null AND deptno NOT IN
(SELECT /*+ HASH_AJ */ deptno ...)

ASH_AJ(v)
NL_AJ(v)
HASH_SJ(v)
MERGE_SJ(v)

Transform EXISTS subquery into HASH or MERGE or

nested loops semi-join to access "v"

NL_SJ(v)
ORDERED_PREDICATES

Forces optimizer to apply predicates as they appear in the

WHERE clause, except for predicates used as index keys

ROWID(tab)

Access tab by ROWID directly. For example:

SELECT /*+ ROWID( table ) */ ... FROM tab WHERE
ROWID between '&1' and '&2';

STAR

Force a star query plan if possible. A star plan has the

largest table in the query last in the join order and joins it
with a nested loops join on a concatenated index. The
STAR hint applies when there are at least 3 tables and the
large table's concatenated index has at least 3 columns
and there are no conflicting access or join method hints.
(>=7.3)

NOPARALLEL(table)

No parallel on "table"

NOPARALLEL_INDEX(table Opposite to PARALLEL_INDEX

[,index])
NOREWRITE

8.1+ Do not rewrite the query

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REFERENCES
NOTE:50607.1 - How to specify an INDEX Hint
NOTE:35934.1 - Cost Based Optimizer - Common Misconceptions and Issues - Pre. 10g

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