How to determine the need for database query optimization?

The need for database query optimization is determined by several signs:

• Slow application performance: when queries take a long time and affect system responsiveness.
• High database load: a large amount of resources (CPU, memory, disk) are used during query execution.
• Scalability issues: performance drops as data volume or number of users increases.
• Poor query execution plans: analysis with EXPLAIN shows full table scans instead of using indexes.

To check, you can use query profiling, slow query logs, and database monitoring tools. If bottlenecks are identified, it is advisable to optimize queries, for example, by adding indexes, rewriting queries, or caching results.