What impact does data fragmentation have on sandbox vs. production instances

1. Data Contiguity: Sandbox environments typically have more contiguous data compared to production environments. This is because the sandbox data is copied from production, preserving the data structure and layout. In contrast, production data can become fragmented over time, leading to slower query performance. [1][2]

2. Indexing and Caching: Sandbox environments generally have smaller cache and index sizes compared to production. This allows the database to quickly access the required data without having to sift through a large cache or index, resulting in faster query execution. [1]

3. Hardware Configuration: Sandbox environments are often configured with less powerful hardware compared to production. However, this can contribute to faster query execution as the database is less loaded and can respond more quickly to queries. [1]

4. Data Skew: Production environments may have more data skew compared to sandbox environments, which can lead to uneven data distribution and impact query performance. [1]

5. Custom Indexes and Skinny Tables: Production environments may have more custom indexes and skinny tables to optimize performance, which may not be present in the sandbox. This can lead to performance differences between the two environments. [1]

In summary, the key factors that contribute to faster SOQL query performance in sandbox environments compared to production are the contiguous data layout, smaller cache and index sizes, and less fragmented data. These factors can outweigh the potential performance benefits of more powerful hardware in the production environment. Understanding these differences is crucial for accurately testing and troubleshooting performance issues in Salesforce applications.