Properly storing intermediate results

There are times when a query can become very complex, either because of a complicated database schema or because of complex business logic in the query, or both. In these cases, it may be easier to write the query in parts and store intermediate query results so that they can be used in a later query. This can make the query more readable, but it can also help SQL Server create a better query execution plan. There are different ways to store intermediate query results in SQL Server; this section will look at a few different options along with some of the considerations for when and where to use them.

Using table variables and temporary tables

Table variables and temporary tables serve...