Connection pooling reuses database connections instead of opening a new connection for every request.

How it works

• Application requests a connection from the pool.
• The pool provides an available connection.
• The application executes database operations.
• The connection is returned to the pool for reuse.

Benefits

• Reduces connection-establishment overhead.
• Can improve throughput under suitable workloads.
• Limits concurrent connections and helps manage database resources.

Configuration and mistakes

• Maximum pool size limits connections in a pool.
• Timeouts control how long acquisition or connection attempts wait, depending on the driver.
• Avoid oversized pools that overwhelm the database.
• Dispose of connections properly and do not hold them during unrelated slow work.
• Many application instances can collectively create too many connections.