CTE vs Temp Table
A CTE is query-scoped and readable; a temp table materializes intermediate data for reuse.
CTE
Use it when
Use a CTE for one logical statement.
Temp Table
Use it when
Use a temp table when the intermediate result is reused or needs indexing/staging.
Decision rule
Choose the option that matches the real requirement, data size, maintainability needs and compatibility constraints. Avoid selecting a technique only because it is familiar.
Need clarity?Prefer the simpler option that expresses the business rule directly.
Verify before scaling
Run both approaches on a small known dataset if the difference affects financial, inventory or operational decisions. Equivalent-looking techniques can behave differently with duplicates, blanks, NULL values or version constraints.