Database Performance Optimization
Admin•
# Database Performance Optimization
Slow databases kill user experience. Here's how to keep your data layer fast at scale.
## Indexing Strategies
**B-Tree vs Hash Indexes**
Understand when to use each. B-trees for ranges, hashes for exact matches.
**Covering Indexes**
Include all queried columns in the index to avoid table lookups.
## Query Optimization
- Use EXPLAIN to understand query plans
- Avoid SELECT * in production
- Batch operations when possible
- Use connection pooling
## Caching Layers
Redis, Memcached, or application-level caching can reduce database load by 90%+.
**When to Cache**
- Read-heavy workloads
- Expensive computations
- Frequently accessed data
The fastest query is the one you don't have to run.