performance - single join select vs. multiple simple selects

Question

What is better as far as performance goes?

Answer 1

Do not try to write your own join loop as a bunch of selects. Your database server has many clever algorithms for doing joins. Further, your database server can use statistics and estimated cost of access to dynamically pick a join algorithm.

The database server's join algorithm is -- usually -- better than anything you might concoct. They know more about physical I/O, caching and what-not.

This allows you to focus on your problem domain.