Views vs. Materialized Views: What’s the Difference?

Managing data effectively in a database often involves using views or materialized views, each serving specific data access needs. This summary explains their roles and benefits.

Utilizing Views

Views in a database are essentially saved SQL queries that do not store data but fetch it when accessed, making them ideal for dynamic data access:

CREATE VIEW order_view AS
SELECT customer_id, SUM(price) 
FROM orders 
WHERE status = 'completed' GROUP BY customer_id;

Optimizing with Materialized Views

Materialized views offer a performance advantage by storing query results, useful for data that does not change frequently:

CREATE MATERIALIZED VIEW sales_summary AS
SELECT product_id, SUM(sales) 
FROM transactions GROUP BY product_id;

FAQ

What sets apart a view from a materialized view?

Views provide a real-time view of data, suitable for frequently updated databases. Materialized views store query results and are faster but less current.

Why choose materialized views?

Materialized views are best for scenarios where performance and quick data access are prioritized over real-time data freshness.

How do views and materialized views influence database speed?

Views may slow down responses for complex queries due to real-time data fetching, whereas materialized views offer quicker access with stored data.

How does DbVisualizer help with views?

DbVisualizer is a tool that simplifies the creation, management, and optimization of both views and materialized views.

Conclusion

Understanding the distinct functions and benefits of views and materialized views can optimize your data management strategy. For a comprehensive discussion and examples, read the full article View vs Materialized View in databases: Differences and Use cases.