Why CTE (Common Table Expressions) in some cases slow down queries comparing to temporary tables in SQL Server

Question

I have several cases where my complex CTE (Common Table Expressions) are ten times slower than the same queries using the temporary tables in SQL

Answer 1

There can be several reason for Temp table performing better than CTE and vice versa depending upon specific Query and requirement.

IMO in your case both the query are not optimize.

Since CTE is evaluated every time it is referenced. so in your case

SELECT a.MasterAccountId,
       ISNULL(t.BatchedOrders, 0) BatchedOrders,
       ISNULL(t.PendingOrders, 0) PendingOrders,
       ISNULL(av.AvailableStock, 0) AvailableOrders,
       ISNULL(av.AvailableBeforeCutOff, 0) AvailableCutOff,
       ISNULL(av.OrdersAnyStock, 0) AllOrders
FROM MasterAccount a
LEFT OUTER JOIN Available av ON av.MasterAccountId = a.MasterAccountId
LEFT OUTER JOIN Totals t ON t.MasterAccountId = a.MasterAccountId
WHERE a.IsActive = 1

This query is showing High Cardinality estimate.MasterAccount table is evaluated multiple times.Due to this reason it is slow.

In case of Temp table,

SELECT a.MasterAccountId,
       ISNULL(t.BatchedOrders, 0) BatchedOrders,
       ISNULL(t.PendingOrders, 0) PendingOrders,
       ISNULL(av.AvailableStock, 0) AvailableOrders,
       ISNULL(av.AvailableBeforeCutOff, 0) AvailableCutOff,
       ISNULL(av.OrdersAnyStock, 0) AllOrders
FROM MasterAccount a (NOLOCK)
LEFT OUTER JOIN #Available av (NOLOCK) ON av.MasterAccountId = a.MasterAccountId
LEFT OUTER JOIN Totals t (NOLOCK) ON t.MasterAccountId = a.MasterAccountId
WHERE a.IsActive = 1

Here #Available is already evaluated and result is store in temp table so MasterAccount table is join with Less resultset,thus Cardinality Estimate is less. similarly with #Orders table.

Both CTE and Temp table query can be optimize in your case thus performance improved.

So #Orders should be your base temp table and you should not use MasterAccount again later.you should use #Orders instead.

INSERT INTO #Available
SELECT  ma.MasterAccountId,
        SUM(IIF(ma.IsPartialStock = 1,  CASE WHEN sa.[Status] IN ('Full', 'Partial') THEN 1 ELSE 0 END, 
                                        CASE WHEN sa.[Status] = 'Full' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END)) AS AvailableStock,
        SUM(IIF(sa.[Status] IN ('Full', 'Partial', 'None'), 1, 0))  AS OrdersAnyStock, 

        SUM(IIF(sa.RequisitionDate < dbo.TicksToTime(ma.DailyOrderCutOffTime, @toDate),
                IIF(ma.IsPartialStock = 1,  CASE WHEN sa.[Status] IN ('Full', 'Partial') THEN 1 ELSE 0 END, 
                                            CASE WHEN sa.[Status] = 'Full' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END), 0)) AS AvailableBeforeCutOff                             
FROM #Orders ma (NOLOCK)
INNER JOIN #StockAvailability2 sa ON sa.AccountNumber = dbo.fn_RemoveUnitPrefix(ma.TaskAccountId)
GROUP BY ma.MasterAccountId, ma.IsPartialStock

Here require column from MasterAcount table like ma.IsPartialStock etc should incorporated in #order table itself if possible.Hope my idea is clear.

No need of MasterAccount table in in last query

SELECT a.MasterAccountId,
       ISNULL(t.BatchedOrders, 0) BatchedOrders,
       ISNULL(t.PendingOrders, 0) PendingOrders,
       ISNULL(av.AvailableStock, 0) AvailableOrders,
       ISNULL(av.AvailableBeforeCutOff, 0) AvailableCutOff,
       ISNULL(av.OrdersAnyStock, 0) AllOrders
FROM  #Available av 
LEFT OUTER JOIN Totals t  ON t.MasterAccountId = av.MasterAccountId
--WHERE a.IsActive = 1

I think no need of Nolock hint in temp table.