What's the difference between partitioning and sharding?

Partitioning typically refers to dividing data within a single database instance, where all partitions are managed by the same database server.

Sharding is a specific type of horizontal partitioning where data is distributed across multiple independent database instances (shards), often on different physical servers.

Key Differences:

• Scope: Partitioning is usually within one database; sharding spans multiple databases
• Complexity: Sharding requires more complex application logic for routing queries
• Scalability: Sharding provides better horizontal scalability
• Management: Partitioning is easier to manage; sharding requires coordination between multiple systems