What's the purpose of an IMPLICIT JOIN in SQL?
implicit, join, mysql, sql
Solution
Fundamentally there is no difference between the implicit join and the explicit `JOIN .. ON ..`. Execution plans are the same.
I prefer the explicit notation as it makes it easier to read and debug. Moreover, in the explicit notation you define the relationship between the tables in the `ON` clause and the search condition in the `WHERE` clause.
Problem
So, I don't really understand the purpose of using an implicit join in SQL. In my opinion, it makes a join more difficult to spot in the code, and I'm wondering this: Is there a greater purpose for actually wanting to do this besides the simplicity of it?