The output from postgres explain is already in a very readable format when you compare it with the mishmash from mysql. A nice tree view all adding up. If you're aware of how evaluating a SQL query actually works, it's very straightforward.
MySQL, meanwhile, just gives you a list of things, with random lists of indexes and keywords (like temporary, filesort, derived, etc), and estimates of row counts. Piecing together the data flow back into a tree format that maps to the syntax tree of your SQL query is not so easy.
MySQL, meanwhile, just gives you a list of things, with random lists of indexes and keywords (like temporary, filesort, derived, etc), and estimates of row counts. Piecing together the data flow back into a tree format that maps to the syntax tree of your SQL query is not so easy.