In the context of database programming, QEP is an acronym for Query Execution Plan.
The database server analyzes every SQL query and plans how to use indexes and order tables to produce the result in the most efficient way.
You can get a report of the QEP for a SELECT query using the EXPLAIN command in MySQL. This is an important tool to analyze your SQL queries and detect inefficiencies.
Consultant Ronald Bradford uses the acronym QEP freely, but this term is not ubiquitous and doesn’t appear in the MySQL documentation. Googling for QEP yields some confusing results:
- A manufacturer of carpet trimming and flooring installation tools.
- An educational bookseller in Texas and New Mexico.
- The Quality Enhancement Plan for institutional improvement from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
- The Qualified Environmental Professional certification from the Institute of Professional Environmental Practice (IPEP).
Remember: if you are using an uncommon acronym in your writing, define it when you use it. Even if you have used the acronym in past blog posts, define it again in a new blog post. Or at least link to the original post where you defined it.