How to Show Better Execution Plans in Azure Data Studio

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Azure Data Studio is starting to mature and some neat features are coming to the vscode-based (and now multidatabase and multiplatform) tool.

We got query plans in the app since some time, but to be frank they’re not very pretty and have some issues with dark themes:

Built-in Azure Data Studio plan in a dark theme: Nested Loops and Constant Scan operators with no visible connecting lines

Phantom Lines in plans with Dark Theme

The new way

Phil Scott built the Queryplan.show extension for Azure Data Studio, which adds the in-app query plan analysis that’s on the website above.

Check it out:

QueryPlan.Show in Azure Data Studio: a SELECT INTO plan as operator flow, cost analysis sunburst and per-operator details

So Shiny

How to use it

  • Download the latest vsix file from here
  • Install it using “Install from VSIX” command (or file->Install Extensions from VSIX Package)

Then it’s pretty easy, you just have to find yourself with an XML Plan in Azure Data Studio, either by running your query with CTRL+M (as in the gif above) or for example getting it from WhoisActive or sp_BlitzCache and then launch the QueryPlan.Show in the command prompt (ctrl+shift+p)

Command palette with QueryPlan.Show selected while an XML showplan is open in the Azure Data Studio editor

And it looks good in every color theme!

QueryPlan.Show in a light theme: Data Flow view of Constant Scan and Nested Loops operators with their raw properties

QueryPlan.Show in a light theme: Operator Flow with Nested Loops at 93% and the Table Spool operator details

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