When you execute a SQL SELECT Count or Count Distinct on a database is the data still loaded into memory?

[#1]

When executing a SQL SELECT COUNT x statement is the data loaded into memory and then counted or is the count done in the DB and then returned?

[swuehl · Accepted solution]

Count is done in the DB and then returned to QV.

[matthieu_burel]

Only the result of the request is loaded in memory.

Consequently, a "select *" will load all data of the DB table while "select count(*)" will just the load the result of the count.