For join acceleration, a computer stores local encoding dictionaries (ED), including a build ED that contains a plurality of distinct build dictionary codes (DC) and a probe ED that contains a plurality of distinct probe DCs that is not identical to the plurality of distinct build DCs (BDC). Build data rows (DR) that contain a build key that contains BDCs from the plurality of distinct BDCs is stored. Probe DRs that contain a probe key that contains probe DCs from the plurality of distinct probe DCs is stored. A request for a relational join of the build DRs with the probe DRs is received. The BDCs from the build key and the probe DCs from the probe key are transcoded to global DCs (GDC) of a global ED. Based on GDCs for the build key, a build array whose offsets are respective GDCs of the global ED is populated. Based on GDCs for the probe key, offsets of the build array are accessed. A response to the request for the relational join that is based on accessing offsets of the build array is sent.