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P4 Server Administration Documentation | 2025.2

# Use patterns (paths, task streams)

Server performance benefits from the following.

- Short paths and names for depot files. The file names are the leading portion of the key in several important `db.*` files, such as `db.rev`, ``db.revhx``, and `db.integed`.
- Limiting the increase of P4 Server repository metadata Information that P4 Server maintains, such as who created file revisions in the depot, whether the file is a 'lazy copy,, the current state of client workspaces, protections, groups, users, labels, streams, and branches. Metadata is stored in the server database and is separate from the 'archive files' that users submit from their client workspace into the depot.. Repository metadata increases can result in more levels within the `db.*` file B-trees, more key comparisons, and more I/O requests to traverse to the leaf pages. Also, reading and writing large amounts of metadata might affect the filesystem cache to the detriment of other server operations.

Ways to limit the growth of metadata
The use of task streams for limited tasks, such as fixing a bug or developing a small feature. Task streams can limit the growth of metadata because the server tracks branched (copied) files in a set of shadow tables (db.revtx, db.integtx) that are removed when the task stream is deleted. You should delete or unload the task stream when its changes have been integrated. See Task streams in the P4 CLI Documentation and p4 stream in the P4 CLI Reference. | Minimal creation of full branches. Consider: Using a single branch for multiple bug fixes Branching only the subset of files needed for a given bug fix

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