Which column in an explain statement is for the columns compared to the index?

In an explain statement, the column designated as "Ref" is particularly significant because it lists the specific columns that are being compared to the database index during query execution. The presence of this column indicates which fields in the query correspond with the indexed columns in the database, which can have a substantial impact on the performance of the query.

Understanding this is crucial for optimizing performance; when the "Ref" column shows that certain query columns are indexed, it means that the database can utilize the index to speed up data retrieval. This allows for more efficient execution plans and reduced query response times.

Other columns like "Rows" provide information on the estimated number of rows processed, "Filtered" shows the percentage of rows that passed through filters, and "Join Type" pertains to how the tables are being joined within the query, but none of these directly indicate which columns are being compared to the index. Thus, "Ref" is the correct choice when identifying the columns involved in index comparisons.