SQL Server 2005 Performance and white space

Question

I have been told and I'm not sure I believe this: Removing white space from my stored procedures in sql server 2005, before I submit them, will make them run faster and improve performance. I am wondering what everyone else thinks?

Thanks,

Scott

Answer 1

Without benchmarking it, I can't "know" but that sounds like bull.

Firstly, I'm pretty sure SQLServer compiles stored procedures (meaning, absolutely nothing in the verbosity effects it). Secondly, parsing whitespace is time-trivial in any system.

Answer 2

I can't see how this would be the case. Perhaps the stored procedure would compile slightly faster, but after that it shouldn't make any difference whatsoever.

More importantly, even if this were true, I can't imagine the time spent removing whitespace would be worth whatever performance benefit you'd get.

Answer 3

I call shenanigans. This doesn't even pass the smell test. sprocs get compiled, what SQL Server works with is a plan created from your sproc - the white space is irrelevant.

Answer 4

What the others said.