How does partitioning work to solve the problem of table growth? Is the issue of bloating still relevant with this approach?

Partitioning divides a large table into smaller, logically related parts (partitions), which makes data management easier and improves query performance, as operations are performed only on the relevant partitions.

The problem of bloating (table bloat) can persist, especially if partitions are frequently updated or deleted, since in some DBMSs, deleted records do not immediately free up space. However, partitioning facilitates maintenance by allowing cleanup and reorganization operations on individual partitions, reducing the impact of bloating.

Thus, partitioning helps scale tables and reduce the negative effects of bloating, but it does not always eliminate it completely — regular maintenance is required.