**Logical Plan**: Abstract 'what'—filter, join, aggregate. Independent of execution. Optimizer applies rules (predicate pushdown, constant folding).
**Physical Plan**: Concrete 'how'—which join algo (sort-merge, broadcast hash), partitioning, resource allocation. Cost-based choices.
**Why Both**: Separation enables optimization without locking to implementation....
The complete answer continues with detailed implementation patterns, architectural trade-offs, and production-grade considerations. It covers performance optimization strategies, common pitfalls to avoid, and real-world examples from companies like KPMG. The answer also includes follow-up discussion points that interviewers commonly explore.
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