Sharding
Sharding is a database architecture pattern that horizontally partitions data across multiple servers or clusters to distribute load and improve scalability. It involves splitting a large dataset into smaller, more manageable pieces called shards, each stored on separate database instances. This approach is commonly used in distributed systems to handle high-volume data and concurrent user requests efficiently.
Developers should learn sharding when building applications that require handling massive datasets or high transaction rates, such as social media platforms, e-commerce sites, or real-time analytics systems. It's essential for achieving horizontal scalability in databases like MongoDB, MySQL, or PostgreSQL, as it allows systems to grow by adding more servers rather than upgrading a single one. Use sharding to prevent performance bottlenecks, ensure high availability, and support global user bases with low-latency access.