How to Scale a Table with Millions of Entries

As your application grows, your database tables can reach millions of records. If you do not handle them properly, your app becomes slow and users get frustrated.

Here is a simple explanation of how to deal with large tables in a smart and scalable way.

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1. Use Indexing

Indexing is like a table of contents in a book. It helps the database find data faster.

Example

If you are searching by email, make sure your email column is indexed.

In Laravel migration:

$table->string('email')->index();

Without index, the database will scan every row. That is very slow with millions of records.

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2. Use Pagination

Do not load all rows at once. Break them into pages.

Bad idea

User::all(); // This will load everything. Bad for big data.

Better

User::paginate(50); // Load only 50 users per page

For APIs or faster performance, use cursor pagination.

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3. Use Caching

If you are showing the same data again and again, do not hit the database every time. Use cache.

Example

$users = Cache::remember('active_users', 60, function () {

return User::where('active', true)->get();

});

This will store the result in cache for 60 minutes.

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4. Archive Old Data

Move old records to another table or database. Only keep fresh data in your main table.

Example

If you have orders from 5 years ago, move them to an archived_orders table.

This makes your main queries much faster.

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5. Use Read and Write Separation

Use separate servers for reading and writing data. It is called replication.

Reads go to a copy (called a replica), and writes go to the main database. This reduces load.

Laravel supports this using multiple database connections.

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6. Partition or Shard Your Data

If one table is too big, break it into smaller parts.

Example

Store users from Pakistan in one table and users from USA in another.

Or divide by months or years.

This is more advanced, but very useful at large scale.

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Final Thoughts

Scaling is not magic. It is about smart design and simple practices.

Start with:

• Indexing

• Pagination

• Caching

Then learn more about:

• Replication

• Archiving

• Partitioning

Do not wait for your app to become slow. Start thinking about scaling early.

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Written for non-native developers, by a fellow learner.

If you are building with Laravel or Vue know this:

You can build world-class apps — just keep learning and keep it simple.