If you do not like explain, may I suggest using `EXPLAIN FORMAT=JSON` - it is new to MySQL 5.6, and contains additional meta data. There is also optimizer trac

If you do not like explain, may I suggest using `EXPLAIN FORMAT=JSON` - it is new to MySQL 5.6, and contains additional meta data. There is also optimizer trace, which provides significantly more meta data. Some good examples in these slides: http://www.slideshare.net/oysteing/how-to-analyze-and-tune-sql-queries-for-better-performance-webinar http://www.slideshare.net/oysteing/how-to-analyze-and-tune-s... I believe your example might be http://mysql-nordic.blogspot.ca/2015/01/with-latest-verions-of-mysql-575.html http://mysql-nordic.blogspot.ca/2015/01/with-latest-verions-... - Fixed in 5.7.5. There has been a lot of work in improving the optimizer recently. One project that I find particularly interesting, is the focus on improving the cost model: http://mysqlserverteam.com/the-mysql-optimizer-cost-model-project/ http://mysqlserverteam.com/the-mysql-optimizer-cost-model-pr...