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Why do comment counts often disagree with what I see? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Okay, is it because I haven't had my coffee yet?

First line:

Getting the total number of all comments may be very resource heavy if there is a lot of comments.

Fourth paragraph:

It’s way faster if instead of all of that, the computer kept track of a number of all comments and simply adjust it when comment is added or removed. It does not have to get all the comments and count how many are there, just simply return the number and you are done.

What is the difference between the bolded parts?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

First method does not store the number itself anywhere. Let's assume that you store apples. I come and ask you "How many apples do you have?". To answer, you go and count every single apple one by one and return me the number. It's very easy if you have a small number of apples, but if you have, let's say, 5000 apples - you can see how long it may take.

Second option is you keeping a track of how many apples you have in stock by having it written down somewhere. If I ask you "How many apples do you have?" you just pull out your notepad and tell me the number. If you give me an apple, you just adjust the number you have written down already.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Okay, I swear I almost have it. Where does the stock number come from? Does it regularly pull a number instead of counting, is that the difference? I think what you're saying is, instead of it checking live, it has a total number taken every so often. Yes?

Edit: Okay I get it, except for where my initial count comes from. I guess it starts at 0?

First way, constantly checking the number of comments and just goes off of that.
Second way, stores the number 0 at first and then only updates when a comment is added or removed.

Am I ready for my certificate yet? Yikes. Thanks for going slow, lol.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

No, you just update the number whenever you make any changes to how many apples you have.