7x faster JSON in SQL? The claim is buzzing on social feeds. A post on Hacker News links to a blog from e6data that touts a dramatic speedup using a Variant data type [1].
What the claim says — The post titled "7x faster JSON in SQL: a deep dive into Variant data type" argues you can slash JSON processing time in SQL by sevenfold. It frames the Variant data type as the mechanism to streamline storage and access, echoing a bold shift in how JSON is handled in relational systems [1].
Where it might fit — A Variant data type would store JSON in a flexible, typed container rather than a fixed JSON column, the post suggests. The idea is to cut parsing overhead and enable more direct lookups, which proponents say could unlock new performance paths [1].
Query design implications — If the speedup holds, you’d likely redesign queries to leverage the type’s operations, with different indexing and plan considerations. That could tilt workloads toward JSON-heavy analytics and away from traditional, fixed JSON storage approaches [1].
What it means for workloads — The debate pits familiar relational JSON storage against a bold variant-based path. Real-world results and vendor support will determine whether this is a niche trick or a broader shift for JSON-heavy apps [1].
Closing thought: keep an eye on concrete benchmarks and platform support as this idea moves from blog chatter to production reality [1].
References
7x faster JSON in SQL: a deep dive into Variant data type
Explores a variant data type that speeds up JSON processing in SQL queries.
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