CockroachDB introduced its initial implementation of SQL JOINs one year after deciding to support SQL, marking a significant milestone despite its current lack of optimization. The first version works correctly but is not ready for production due to potential performance issues with large tables, as it is designed primarily as a baseline for testing and development. This foundational JOIN implementation allows for experimentation and aids in ORM compatibility by handling small tables, which is beneficial for database introspection. Looking ahead, CockroachDB plans to enhance performance by leveraging ordering information and adopting advanced database techniques such as hash joins and distributed query execution. The team acknowledges the importance of community feedback in shaping future optimizations and aims to balance feature development with core technology stabilization, particularly for OLTP workloads. Though not striving for immediate feature parity with PostgreSQL, the developers emphasize their commitment to increasing compatibility and supporting more complex SQL functionalities over time.