Originally introduced in 4D v14 R4
SELECT DISTINCT operations executed through SQL statements have been optimized when they are applied to a single table and a single column. 
Typically, in 4D v15 and later versions, the following code will be executed faster:
 Begin SQL
    SELECT DISTINCT Names FROM Employees INTO :$Emp;
 End SQL
Originally introduced in 4D v14 R5
SQL SELECT statements with GROUP BY and ORDER BY clauses have been optimized in different configurations:
- SELECT FROM GROUP BY or SELECT FROM ORDER BY applied to a single table,
- SELECT FROM GROUP BY or SELECT FROM ORDER BY applied to several tables and using inner joins.
The optimization concerns only simple column references (not expressions). 
Typically, in 4D v15 and later versions, the following cases will be executed faster:
 Begin SQL
    DROP TABLE IF EXISTS T1;
    DROP TABLE IF EXISTS T2;
    CREATE TABLE T1 (C1 INT);
    CREATE TABLE T2 (C2 INT);
    INSERT INTO T1(C1) VALUES (1);
    INSERT INTO T1(C1) VALUES (2);
    INSERT INTO T1(C1) VALUES (3);
    INSERT INTO T2(C2) VALUES (2);
    INSERT INTO T2(C2) VALUES (3);
 End SQL
 
 ARRAY LONGINT($result;0)
 ARRAY LONGINT($result1;0)
 ARRAY LONGINT($result2;0)
 
  
  
 Begin SQL
      SELECT C1
        FROM T1, T2
        WHERE C1=C2
        ORDER BY C1
        INTO :$result  
 End SQL
 
  
  
 Begin SQL
      SELECT C1, C2
        FROM T1, T2
        WHERE C1=C2
        ORDER BY C1, C2
        INTO :$result1, :$result2
 End SQL
 
  
  
  
 Begin SQL
      SELECT C1 + 1
        FROM T1, T2
        WHERE C1=C2
        ORDER BY C1
        INTO :$result  
 End SQL
 
  
  
  
 Begin SQL
      SELECT C1
        FROM T1, T2
        WHERE C1=C2
        ORDER BY 1
        INTO :$result  
 End SQL Begin SQL
    DROP TABLE IF EXISTS T1;
    DROP TABLE IF EXISTS T2;
    CREATE TABLE T1 (C1 INT, C3 INT);
    CREATE TABLE T2 (C2 INT);
    INSERT INTO T1(C1, C3) VALUES (3, 1);
    INSERT INTO T1(C1, C3) VALUES (1, 1);
    INSERT INTO T1(C1, C3) VALUES (2, 1);
    INSERT INTO T1(C1, C3) VALUES (3, 1);
    INSERT INTO T1(C1, C3) VALUES (2, 1);
    INSERT INTO T1(C1, C3) VALUES (3, 1);
    INSERT INTO T2(C2) VALUES (2);
    INSERT INTO T2(C2) VALUES (3);
 End SQL
 
 ARRAY LONGINT($result;0)
 ARRAY LONGINT($result1;0)
 ARRAY LONGINT($result2;0)
 
  
  
  
 Begin SQL
    SELECT C1
        FROM T1, T2
        WHERE C1=C2
        GROUP BY C1
        INTO :$result  
 End SQL
 
  
  
  
  
  
 Begin SQL
    SELECT C1, SUM(C3)
        FROM T1, T2
        WHERE C1=C2
        GROUP BY C1
        INTO :$result1, :$result2
 End SQL