| 1 | How do you force SQL Server to use a specific, previously known good execution plan for a query using Query Store? SQL Server › Query Store | SQL Server | Query Store | Intermediate |
| 2 | What is Query Store in SQL Server, and what information does it automatically capture? SQL Server › Query Store | SQL Server | Query Store | Beginner |
| 3 | How do you view the top resource consuming queries captured by Query Store? SQL Server › Query Store | SQL Server | Query Store | Beginner |
| 4 | How do you use Query Store to identify a query whose performance has regressed after a recent code deployment? SQL Server › Query Store | SQL Server | Query Store | Intermediate |
| 5 | How can Query Store data be queried directly using its underlying system views for custom analysis beyond the built-in reports? SQL Server › Query Store | SQL Server | Query Store | Advanced |
| 6 | What is the difference between Query Store's READ_WRITE and READ_ONLY operational modes, and when does SQL Server switch between them? SQL Server › Query Store | SQL Server | Query Store | Intermediate |
| 7 | How would you configure Query Store's capture and retention settings to balance detailed monitoring with storage overhead on a very busy production database? SQL Server › Query Store | SQL Server | Query Store | Advanced |
| 8 | How do you use the SQL Server Query Store feature to identify and address query performance regressions over time? SQL Server › Query Optimization & Plans | SQL Server | Query Optimization & Plans | Advanced |
| 9 | What is an execution plan in SQL Server, and how does it help you understand query performance? SQL Server › Query Optimization & Plans | SQL Server | Query Optimization & Plans | Beginner |
| 10 | How do outdated or missing statistics affect the query optimizer's ability to choose an efficient execution plan? SQL Server › Query Optimization & Plans | SQL Server | Query Optimization & Plans | Intermediate |
| 11 | What is parameter sniffing, and how can it sometimes lead to unexpectedly poor query performance? SQL Server › Query Optimization & Plans | SQL Server | Query Optimization & Plans | Intermediate |
| 12 | How does SQL Server compile and cache execution plans for stored procedures, and how does this affect performance compared to ad hoc queries? SQL Server › Stored Procedures & Functions | SQL Server | Stored Procedures & Functions | Advanced |
| 13 | What is a columnstore index in SQL Server, and how is it different from a regular index? SQL Server › Columnstore Indexes | SQL Server | Columnstore Indexes | Beginner |
| 14 | What is the difference between a clustered columnstore index and a nonclustered columnstore index? SQL Server › Columnstore Indexes | SQL Server | Columnstore Indexes | Beginner |
| 15 | What is a stored procedure in SQL Server, and what are the main benefits of using one? SQL Server › Stored Procedures & Functions | SQL Server | Stored Procedures & Functions | Beginner |
| 16 | What kinds of workloads benefit the most from columnstore indexes, and which workloads should avoid them? SQL Server › Columnstore Indexes | SQL Server | Columnstore Indexes | Intermediate |
| 17 | What tools or queries can you use to monitor the health and effectiveness of a columnstore index over time? SQL Server › Columnstore Indexes | SQL Server | Columnstore Indexes | Intermediate |
| 18 | What are the main differences between a stored procedure and a function in terms of what each one can and cannot do? SQL Server › Stored Procedures & Functions | SQL Server | Stored Procedures & Functions | Intermediate |
| 19 | What are delta stores and rowgroups in the context of columnstore indexes, and how do they affect performance over time? SQL Server › Columnstore Indexes | SQL Server | Columnstore Indexes | Advanced |
| 20 | How would you build a dynamic SQL statement inside a stored procedure that constructs a flexible search query based on several optional filter parameters? SQL Server › Dynamic SQL | SQL Server | Dynamic SQL | Advanced |
| 21 | How do you store and query JSON formatted text in SQL Server? SQL Server › JSON Support in SQL Server | SQL Server | JSON Support in SQL Server | Beginner |
| 22 | How do you modify a specific part of an XML document stored in a column without replacing the entire document? SQL Server › XML Data Type & Querying | SQL Server | XML Data Type & Querying | Intermediate |
| 23 | How would you decide between using the XML data type and the JSON functions available in SQL Server for a new project that needs to store semi structured data? SQL Server › XML Data Type & Querying | SQL Server | XML Data Type & Querying | Advanced |
| 24 | How do you properly perform a JOIN query in sqflite to combine genuinely related data stored across two or more separate distinct tables, such as combining orders together with their own individual customer information? Flutter › SQLite & Local Databases (sqflite) | Flutter | SQLite & Local Databases (sqflite) | Intermediate |
| 25 | What are the performance considerations and limitations of querying JSON data stored as text compared to using normalized relational columns? SQL Server › JSON Support in SQL Server | SQL Server | JSON Support in SQL Server | Advanced |
| 26 | What is the difference between a scalar function and a table valued function in SQL Server? SQL Server › Stored Procedures & Functions | SQL Server | Stored Procedures & Functions | Beginner |
| 27 | What are natively compiled stored procedures, and how do they work together with memory optimized tables? SQL Server › In-Memory OLTP (Memory-Optimized Tables) | SQL Server | In-Memory OLTP (Memory-Optimized Tables) | Intermediate |
| 28 | How does partition elimination improve query performance for a partitioned table? SQL Server › Partitioning | SQL Server | Partitioning | Intermediate |
| 29 | Why can calling a scalar user defined function within a query against a large table cause significant performance problems? SQL Server › User Defined Functions | SQL Server | User Defined Functions | Intermediate |
| 30 | How would you build a dynamic SQL query where the table or column names themselves need to change based on input, since parameters cannot be used for object names? SQL Server › Dynamic SQL | SQL Server | Dynamic SQL | Intermediate |
| 31 | How do you generate JSON formatted output directly from a SQL query's result set? SQL Server › JSON Support in SQL Server | SQL Server | JSON Support in SQL Server | Intermediate |
| 32 | How would you decide between using a temporary table, a table variable, and a common table expression for a specific intermediate data processing need within a stored procedure? SQL Server › Temporary Tables & Table Variables | SQL Server | Temporary Tables & Table Variables | Advanced |
| 33 | What is a cursor in SQL Server, and why do most developers try to avoid using them? SQL Server › Cursors | SQL Server | Cursors | Beginner |
| 34 | How do you create a basic SQL Server Agent job that runs a T-SQL script on a defined schedule? SQL Server › SQL Server Agent & Job Scheduling | SQL Server | SQL Server Agent & Job Scheduling | Beginner |
| 35 | What does the FAST_FORWARD cursor option do, and when should you use it? SQL Server › Cursors | SQL Server | Cursors | Intermediate |
| 36 | What is a covering index, and how does it help avoid an expensive lookup operation? SQL Server › Indexes | SQL Server | Indexes | Intermediate |
| 37 | What is an indexed view, and how can it improve the performance of complex, frequently run queries? SQL Server › Views | SQL Server | Views | Intermediate |
| 38 | How would you rewrite a common cursor based row by row update into an equivalent, much faster set based UPDATE statement? SQL Server › Cursors | SQL Server | Cursors | Advanced |
| 39 | How do filtered indexes work, and what specific scenarios benefit most from using one? SQL Server › Indexes | SQL Server | Indexes | Advanced |
| 40 | What are the tradeoffs between implementing complex reusable business logic as a user defined function versus building it directly into application code? SQL Server › User Defined Functions | SQL Server | User Defined Functions | Advanced |