Prompt to Explain a SQL Query (Free Copy-Paste Prompt)

Copy-ready prompt

Explain the following SQL query in plain English.
```
[paste query]
```
Requirements:
- A one-line summary of what it returns.
- A step-by-step breakdown of each clause and JOIN.
- Explain any subqueries, window functions, or aggregations.
- Note any potential issues or edge cases.

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Why this prompt works

Inherited SQL is often dense and undocumented. This prompt gives you a plain-English summary plus a clause-by-clause walkthrough, so you can safely modify or debug a query you didn't write.

How to customize it

Ask it to flag anything that could produce unexpected rows.
Have it rewrite the query more readably if it's messy.
Verify its explanation against a small sample result.

Tip: replace the parts in [square brackets] with your own details before you send. The more specific you are — audience, tone, goal, constraints — the better the AI output.