Does key length require storage?

[Anatoly Vorobey]

On Mon, Jan 24, 2005 at 01:52:50PM -0800, Kevin A. Burton wrote:
> >The entire key is stored and matched when necessary.
> >
> > 
> >
> Why isn't this documented anywhere. Should we be recommending that 
> people use short keys when possible?

It might be a good idea to mention in the docs that the key is stored 
explicitly along with the data, yes.

In the current storage model, if you have lengthy data (say, a few times
larger than your key length, or more), it usually won't help to shorten
your key, since the item will end up in the same size class. If you have
really short data, however, it will often help your memory usage to have 
shorter keys for such data.

-- 
avva
"There's nothing simply good, nor ill alone" -- John Donne