Implementation-dependent elements
The term implementation-dependent is used to identify characteristics that may differ between GQL implementations and are not strictly defined by the standard. Implementation-dependent elements allow for variations across vendors and even variations between executions with the same implementation. Since their behavior is not mandated by the GQL standard, vendors are not required to document them, making them inherently unpredictable for users.
A common example of an implementation-dependent element is the order of results in a query without the ORDER BY clause. The database is not required to explain how it determines the order, and the behavior may change across versions or depend on factors such as indexing.
Implementation-dependent elements introduce flexibility in areas where strict standardization is impractical or unnecessary. This allows vendors to optimize their systems based on performance, scalability, or architectural considerations...
