midDatabases
What is Database Sharding?
Updated Apr 28, 2026
Short answer
Horizontal partitioning that splits a large database into smaller, faster pieces called shards.
Deep explanation
Exploring concurrency control. How MVCC (Multi-Version Concurrency Control) works to allow readers and writers to operate without blocking each other.
Real-world example
Banking systems using SERIALIZABLE isolation to prevent double-spending.
Common mistakes
- Over-indexing tables which slows down INSERT/UPDATE operations.
Follow-up questions
- What is Dirty Read?