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LSM-Trees: SSTables, Memtables, Compaction

This generated surface maps a learner-facing curriculum unit to its canonical source routes.

Curriculum surface​

  • Open learner-facing unit
  • Curriculum path: content/curriculum/architecture/semester-06-databases-distributed/module-02-storage-engines-indexing/concepts/cluster-03-lsm-and-alternative-index-structures/07-lsm-trees-sstables-memtables-compaction-primary.md
  • App: architecture
  • Semester: semester-06-databases-distributed
  • Module: module-02-storage-engines-indexing
  • Unit kind: concept
  • Curation level: module_curated

Learning objectives​

  • Explain LSM-Trees: SSTables, Memtables, Compaction in terms of physical layout, access paths, and performance tradeoffs instead of memorizing structure names.
  • Relate LSM-Trees: SSTables, Memtables, Compaction to the actual cost of reads, writes, buffering, and maintenance work inside a storage engine.
  • Use database-internals, ddia to connect the learner explanation to B-trees, LSM behavior, query execution, and recovery mechanics.

Prerequisites​

  • Comfort with the relational model, SQL querying, and basic database terminology from module 01.

Source books​

  • database-internals
  • ddia

Source routes​

Database Internals​

Ddia​

Supporting curriculum routes​

No supporting curriculum routes linked yet.

External enrichment​

  • RocksDB Wiki (read_if_stuck) - Useful when the learner wants to see how LSM-tree ideas appear in a production storage engine.
  • PostgreSQL Documentation: Indexes (official_docs_companion) - Helps contrast LSM-oriented reading with a mainstream B-tree-centric database implementation.

AI companion modes​

  • Explain simply
  • Socratic tutor
  • Challenge my understanding
  • Diagnose my confusion
  • Connect forward / backward

Source-of-truth note​

This teaching unit is learner-facing guidance assembled from multiple canonical book routes. Use the listed source books as the primary conceptual spine for LSM-Trees: SSTables, Memtables, Compaction, and treat outside material as supporting enrichment only.