Have you optimized or checked SQL queries for efficiency?

Yes, SQL query optimization is an important step to improve application performance. I usually check execution plans (EXPLAIN) to identify bottlenecks such as full table scans or inefficient joins. Adding indexes on columns involved in WHERE or JOIN conditions often helps.

Example of optimization:

-- Original query
SELECT * FROM orders WHERE customer_id = 123;

-- Adding an index to speed up search
CREATE INDEX idx_customer_id ON orders(customer_id);

I also try to avoid SELECT *, choose only necessary fields, and break down complex queries into simpler ones if it improves readability and performance.