Paul shows off some tricks for sampling data, instead of querying everything. This works for regular Postgres queries too!

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Learn how to use PostgreSQL's TABLESAMPLE feature to dramatically speed up queries on large datasets by analyzing representative samples instead of full table scans. The technique leverages the Law of Large Numbers to provide accurate estimates in milliseconds rather than seconds, reducing query time by up to 97% in spatial data examples. The approach works best when data is randomly distributed across database pages, making it ideal for statistical aggregations and spatial queries over large geographic areas.

PostGIS Performance: Data Sampling