What is the difference between eager and lazy loading?

Can you explain the difference between eager loading and lazy loading?

Sure! Eager loading retrieves all the related data at once, while lazy loading fetches it only when needed.

Can you give me an example of when to use eager loading?

Absolutely! Use eager loading when you know you'll need related data immediately, like fetching user profiles with their posts.

And when would lazy loading be more beneficial?

Lazy loading is beneficial when dealing with large datasets, as it improves performance by loading data on demand.

What are the potential downsides of each approach?

Eager loading can lead to unnecessary data retrieval, while lazy loading might cause delays if data is accessed frequently.