If I ask you if running EXPLAIN on the query can change your database, you will probably tell me NO; it is common sense. EXPLAIN should show us how the query is executed, not execute the query, hence it can’t change any data. Unfortunately, this is the case where common sense does not apply to [&]

https://www.percona.com/blog/2020/11/23/uncommon-sense-mysql-when-explain-can-trash-your-database/