Physical Databases
Physical databases refer to the actual implementation and storage of data on physical hardware, including the organization of files, indexes, and data structures on disk or in memory. This concept focuses on how data is physically stored, accessed, and managed at the hardware level, as opposed to logical database design which deals with data models and schemas. It encompasses aspects like storage engines, file systems, data partitioning, and performance optimization for efficient data retrieval and manipulation.
Developers should understand physical databases when working on performance-critical applications, such as high-traffic web services, real-time analytics, or large-scale data processing systems, to optimize query performance and resource usage. This knowledge is essential for database administrators, backend engineers, and data engineers to design efficient storage solutions, troubleshoot performance bottlenecks, and ensure data integrity and scalability in production environments.