Techniques for processing queries are provided. In one approach, an execution plan for a query includes multiple sub-plans, one or more of which are selected at runtime while one or more other sub-plans are not executed during execution of the execution plan. In another approach, data about misestimate is generated and stored persistently for subsequent queries. In another approach, statistics for a database object are generated automatically and efficiently while the database object is created or data items are added thereto. In another approach, a hybrid histogram is created that includes a feature of frequency histograms and a feature of height-balanced histograms. In another approach, computer jobs are executed in such a way to avoid deadlock. In another approach, changes to a database object trigger a hard parse of a query even though an execution plan already exists for the query.