When to Use OPTION (RECOMPILE)

When would you use OPTION (RECOMPILE)?

Use OPTION (RECOMPILE) when one cached execution plan is unsuitable for different parameter values.

It tells SQL Server to create a new execution plan for the current execution and discard it afterward.

SELECT *
FROM Orders
WHERE CustomerId = @CustomerId
OPTION (RECOMPILE);

Suitable situations

• Parameter values return very different numbers of rows.

• Data distribution is highly uneven.

• Optional search filters create different query patterns.

• A query runs infrequently but requires the best plan each time.

• A cached plan causes a confirmed parameter-sniffing problem.

Avoid or use carefully when

• The query executes very frequently.

• Compilation is complex or CPU-intensive.

• One reusable plan already performs well for most values.

Important difference

-- Recompiles only this statement
OPTION (RECOMPILE);

-- Recompiles the entire procedure
WITH RECOMPILE;

Key point

OPTION (RECOMPILE) can improve execution performance but adds compilation CPU cost. Use it for specific, proven plan-reuse problems—not as a default solution.